Veteran defenseman Brendan Smith inks a deal in free agency

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have signed free agent defenseman Brendan Smith to a one year, $800,000 contract.

Check it out:

The 32 year old blueliner put up five goals and 10 points in 48 games with the Rangers last season, but fell out of favour then-Rangers head coach David Quinn and was often moved from defense to right wing at times. The former 1st round pick (27th overall in 2007) has put up 29 goals and 110 points in 526 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and the Rangers.

Smith joins a defensive corps in Carolina that now features Jaccob Slavin, Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Ian Cole, Ethan Bear, Tony DeAngelo and Jake Gardiner. While the team has some considerable depth on the blue line, there are no real prototypical #1 or even #2 defencemen on that list, depending on how you feel about Slavin. But, with the Hurricanes losing star defenseman Dougie Hamilton to the New Jersey Devils in free agency, you just knew that the team was going to have to do some work this offseason to fill his minutes. With Smith's signing, the DeAngelo signing and with the trade for Bear, the Hurricanes have done an admirable job of filling the role by committee.

Read below for the full. unedited press release announcement on Smith's signing courtesy of the Hurricanes' official website:

RALEIGH, NC - Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Brendan Smith on a one-year, $800,000 contract.

"Brendan is a veteran defenseman who will add physicality and toughness to our lineup," said Waddell.

Smith, 32, tallied 10 points (5g, 5a) in 48 NHL games with the New York Rangers in 2020-21. The 6'2", 200-pound blueliner has registered 110 points (29g, 81a) in 526 career NHL games with New York and Detroit. Smith has also skated in 163 career AHL games with Grand Rapids and Hartford, earning 88 points (27g, 61a). The Mimico, Ont., native was drafted by the Red Wings in the first round, 27th overall, of the 2007 NHL Draft.