UMaine freshman left winger and All-Hockey East season team selection Bradly Nadeau has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes drafted him in the first round last summer. He was the 30th overall pick.
He will receive a $285,000 signing bonus.
Nadeau had a team-leading 46 points on 19 goals and 27 assists for the Black Bears. He had four game-winning goals, three power play goals and a short-handed goal.
The St-François-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick native had 11 multi-point games this season, including six multi-goal games and four multi-assist games.
“Our staff is excited for Bradly to continue to chase his dream of playing in the NHL,” said Maine head coach Ben Barr in a press release. “Carolina is fortunate to not only have a great player, but a great teammate and person joining their organization. Bradly’s year in Orono was memorable and Black Bear Nation was fortunate to watch Bradly’s development this past season. Bradly will always be a Black Bear!”
Don Waddell, president and general manager of the Hurricanes, called Nadeau a “dynamic forward with a powerful shot.”
“He had a very impressive season at Maine and we’re excited to see his development continue at the professional level,” said Waddell.
Nadeau’s 46 points were the most by a Maine player since 2011-12 and marked the first time a Maine rookie eclipsed the 40-point mark since 2006-07.
He was also named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team and selected for All-New England.
Nadeau and brother Josh were key components behind the Black Bears’ 23-12-2 season that earned the program its first NCAA Tournament and Hockey East Championship weekend appearance since 2011-12.
Nadeau will receive $855,000 a year if he plays for the Hurricanes in 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26. He will receive $82,500 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level for all three seasons.