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Welcome back: ‘Canes sign Gleason to one-year, $1.2 million deal

Washington Capitals v Carolina Hurricanes

RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 20: Tim Gleason #6 of the Carolina Hurricanes on the bench against the Washington Capitals during their game at PNC Arena on December 20, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Capitals won 4-2. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

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Free agency sometimes brings players together with their old teams. Such is the case in Carolina.

The Hurricanes have signed defenseman Tim Gleason to a one-year, $1.2 million deal. Gleason was traded by the Hurricanes to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 1 and was bought out by the Leafs on Monday.

Carolina brings comfort and opportunity for Gleason. After seeing things not go especially great in Toronto, he returns to the team he’s spent over seven seasons with and established himself as a hard-nosed, physical defenseman.

One thing Carolina’s defense is lacking is physical play with puckhandlers like Justin Faulk, Andrej Sekera, and the player he was traded for, John-Michael Liles making up the blue line. If Gleason can return to his old self, it’ll be a benefit to the Hurricanes.

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