Hockey transactions
National Hockey League
CAROLINA HURRICANES-Signed Jim Rutherford, general manager, to a five-year contract.
American Hockey League
AHL-Suspended Hartford RW Francis Lessard for 10 games and Portland LW Trevor Gillies for six games for their actions in an April 15 game.
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS-Signed D Jakub Kindl. Assigned D Tom Galvin to Muskegon (UHL).
HARTFORD WOLF PACK-Announced the N.Y. Rangers (NHL) assigned G Alex Westlund and D Hannu Pikkarainen from Hartford to Charlotte (ECHL) and the Rangers recalled G Chris Holt and LW Zdenek Bahensky from Charlotte.