Hours after Frozen Four loss, Union’s Welsh signs with Carolina

Jeremy Welsh is leaving Union after three seasons, signing a free-agent contract with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes just hours after the Dutchmen’s Frozen Four loss Thursday.

Welsh scored 23 goals in 40 games for Union, which lost to Ferris State in the Frozen Four semifinals.

“Of all of the college free agents available, we identified Jeremy as the one who most fit our organizational needs,” Hurricanes director of hockey operations Ron Francis said in a statement. “He provides another big body for us down the middle, and is a player who has shown character and leadership at the college level, in addition to scoring ability.”

Welsh will make $832,500 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level, with a $92,500 signing bonus. He’s scheduled to join Carolina in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for the team’s final game of the regular season.

He scored 53 goals and 100 points in 119 collegiate games.