"The Canes announced today they have signed defenseman Brett Bellemore to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Bellemore $525,000 per season at the NHL level, or $70,000 per season at the minor-league level.

Bellemore, 23, played in 71 regular-season games with the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers in 2010-11, scoring two goals and earning eight assists (10 points). His plus-8 plus/minus rating, as well as and his 74 penalty minutes, ranked him second among Checkers defensemen who played in more than half of the team's games."