Former Penn State hockey forward Charlie Cerrato has signed a three-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team announced on Tuesday. This comes less than two months after he signed a professional tryout agreement with the Chicago Wolves.

Cerrato recorded 27 points on seven goals and 20 assists in 23 games he played in during the 2025-26 campaign. An undisclosed injury kept him out of a large chunk of the season. The prior, the forward put up 42 points on 15 goals and 27 assists in 38 games. He led all Big Ten rookies in goals, assists, and points, while ranking second in the nation in both goals and points among freshmen.

The Fallston, Maryland, native signed with the Wolves, the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, in March. Cerrato only made one appearance in a playoff game against the Texas Stars. He did not record any points in the 2-0 defeat.

Per Carolina’s website, Cerrato is set to make $775,000 in 2025-26, $850,000 in 2026-27, and $900,000 in 2027-28 if he stays at the NHL level. That drops to $85,000 if he continues to play for the Wolves. The deal also included a signing bonus of $220,000.