Canes Sign McKeown; Assign Him to Swedish League

RALEIGH, NC - Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed defenseman Roland McKeown to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000 on the NHL level or $100,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level. The Hurricanes have subsequently loaned McKeown to Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

"Roland had a solid season in the AHL last season and it is important that he get back on the ice to continue his development," said Waddell. "Playing in the Swedish league is a great opportunity for him to do just that."
McKeown, 24, registered 24 points (4g, 20a) in 61 games, while serving as captain for the AHL's Charlotte Checkers in 2019-20. The Listowel, Ont., native has registered 84 points (16g, 68a) in 271 career AHL games with Charlotte. McKeown made his NHL debut on Nov. 4, 2017 at Arizona and has tallied three assists in 10 career NHL games with Carolina. The 6'1", 192-pound defenseman was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round, 50th overall, of the 2014 NHL Draft. He was acquired by the Hurricanes from the Kings along with a first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft (Julien Gauthier) in exchange for Andrej Sekera on Feb. 25, 2015.