Canes sign Goaltender Muse

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Link: http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=634109&navid=DL|CAR|home

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Vice President of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed goaltender John Muse to a one-year contract. The deal will pay Muse $525,000 on the NHL level or $50,000 in the minor leagues, and he receives a signing bonus of $10,000.

“John is a proven winner, having captured championships on both the collegiate and professional levels,”said Francis. “He excelled in his first professional season with the Checkers and Everblades, and adds to our organization’s goaltending depth.”

Muse, 23, completed his first full professional season in 2011-12, splitting the year between Charlotte of the American Hockey League (AHL) and Florida of the ECHL. The East Falmouth, MA, native was 10-3-2 with a 1.81 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage with the Checkers in the AHL, and 16-6-3 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .920 save percentage for the Everblades in the ECHL. He was named the MVP of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup playoffs, going 11-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, and leading Florida to its first Kelly Cup championship.

Prior to beginning his professional career, Muse played four seasons at Boston College, going 89-39-16 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 144 career games. He led the Eagles to three Beanpot championships (2008, 2010, 2011), three Hockey East Tournament titles (2008, 2010, 2011) and two NCAA national championships (2008, 2010). Muse (5’11”, 175 lbs.) established Boston College records for career saves (3,696), career games played (144) and single-season saves (1,171 in 2007-08), and was the recipient of the 2011 Walter Brown Award as the best American-born, Division I player in New England. He was also named second-team AHCA All-American and Hockey East First-Team All-Star in 2010-11, was twice selected to the NCAA All-Tournament team (2008, 2010) and was a three-time Hockey East All-Tournament Team pick (2008, 2010, 2011).

Note: With Anderson not agreeing to terms with the Canes, Peters a free agent, and Murphy leaving for the KHL; Muse has a great opportunity to become the starter for the Checkers next year.