Hurricanes agree on two-year extension with McClement

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Sunday that the team had agreed to terms with center Jay McClement on a two-year contract extension.

The deal will pay McClement $1.3 million in 2015-16 and $1.1 million in 2016-17, and comes amidst increasing trade activity as the National Hockey League (NHL) Mar. 2 trade deadline approaches.

“Jay has proven to be a valuable veteran leader for our club and it was important for us to keep him in Raleigh,” executive vice president and general manager Ron Francis said.

“He’s one of the league’s best face-off men and has played a key role in what currently stands as the best penalty-killing unit in team history.”

McClement, 31, scored a pair of goals on Saturday night’s 5-3 victory against the Islanders and has now totaled 18 points (6g, 12a) and posted a plus-3 rating in 61 games for the Hurricanes this season.

The Kingston, Ont., native leads the Hurricanes in shorthanded time on ice this season (2:24 per game), helping the team to an 88.2 percent penalty-killing mark, which ranks first in the NHL and franchise history.

McClement (6’1”, 205 lbs.) also ranks first on the team and 14th in the league in face-off percentage (55.3%).

A second-round (57th overall) pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, McClement has totaled 222 points (81g, 141a) and 281 penalty minutes in 743 career NHL games with St. Louis, Colorado, Toronto and Carolina.

He has represented Canada in a number of international competitions, including the 2002 and 2003 World Junior Championships and the 2007 IIHF World Championship, where he won gold along with current Hurricanes teammates Cam Ward, Eric Staal and Jordan Staal.

McClement originally signed with Carolina as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2014.