By Fitzgerald Cecilio

The Carolina Hurricanes handed defenseman Jay Harrison a three-year contract extension, keeping a "consistent, steadying presence for their defense for the next four seasons".

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said Harrison, who has one year remaining on his old deal, will earn $1.5 million per season beginning in 2013-14.

"Jay has developed into a consistent, steadying presence for our defense," Rutherford said. "He is capable of providing both physicality and offense, and we are happy to now have him under contract for the next four seasons."

Last season, the 29-year-old Harrison ranked first among Hurricanes defensemen in goals (9) and set career highs in goals, assists (14) and points (23) while playing 72 games.

He ranked second on the team in blocked shots with 132 swats and was the Hurricanes' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which honors sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to the game of hockey.

Harrison was also selected by the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association as the winner of the Josef Vasicek Award for media cooperation.

Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round in 2001, Harrison has totaled 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points along with 200 penalty minutes in 202 regular-season NHL games with Toronto and Carolina.

The Hurricanes originally signed Harrison as a free agent on July 9, 2009, and he has 39 points (13 goals and 26 assists) in 182 games with Carolina.

Earlier, the Hurricanes also signed former first-round pick forward Zach Boychuk to a one-year contract.

The deal will pay Boychuk $625,000 on the NHL level or $105,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level in 2012-13.

Boychuk, 22, split the 2011-12 season between Carolina and the team's AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

He earned two assists in 16 NHL games while leading the Checkers with 21 goals, and ranked third among Charlotte skaters with 44 points in 64 AHL games.

Selected by the Hurricanes in the first round of the 2008 NHL Draft, Boychuk has scored seven goals and earned 11 assists in 72 career NHL games.

 

Hurricanes Extend Defenseman Jay Harrison for Three Years