Hurricanes sign Charlie Cerrato to three-year, entry-level contract
The Carolina Hurricanes announced Tuesday they have signed forward Charlie Cerrato to a three-year, entry-level contract that is effective immediately and will keep him with the club through the 2027-28 season.
Three c̶h̶e̶e̶r̶s̶ years for Chuck! The #Canes have signed forward Charlie Cerrato to a three-year, entry-level contract. Details » n.carhur.com/4tv2oQ6
The deal will pay Cerrato between $775,000 and $900,000 at the NHL level between 2025-26 and 2027-28, and $85,000 at the AHL level for all three seasons. The deal includes signing bonuses worth $220,000.
Cerrato, taken by the Hurricanes in the second round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, was already with Carolina’s AHL franchise, the Chicago Wolves, on an AHL professional tryout. He was in the lineup for a Calder Cup Playoff game against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
“Charlie is a skilled, two-way center who has excelled at the college level over the last two years,” Hurricanes’ general manager Eric Tulsky said in a press release announcing the signing. “He’s strong at faceoffs, smart defensively and should be an excellent fit for the way the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey.”
The 21-year-old Cerrato just completed his sophomore season of college hockey with Penn State University. In 23 games, he scored seven goals and recorded 20 assists for 27 points. This follows a 2024-25 freshman campaign that saw the Fallston, Md., native score 15 goals and add 27 assists for 42 points in 38 games, second on the team in points.
Before enrolling at Penn State, Cerrato spent the 2023-24 season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. He scored 12 goals and added 38 assists for 50 points in 45 games, second on the team in points and first in assists.
The Hurricanes are currently resting after sweeping both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in the first and second rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, respectively.