RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Jeremy Welsh to a two-year contract.

The deal will pay Welsh $700,000 at the NHL level or $105,000 at the minor-league level in the first year. Welsh will receive $1 million for the 2013-14 season.

Carolina president and general manager Jim Rutherford says the 23-year-old forward has good size and can play center or left wing.

Welsh made his NHL debut for Carolina in last season's finale, earning four penalty minutes in 16:32 of ice time.