The Carolina Hurricanes have secured a key piece of their future long term. General manager Don Waddell announced Friday that the team has signed forward Teuvo Teravainen to a five-year deal worth $5.4 million per season.

Teravainen, who has put up 48 goals and 97 points in 211 games since coming over in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2016 offseason, was slated to be a restricted free agent this offseason. Now, he’ll be in Carolina for the long haul.

“Teuvo has improved every year of his NHL career and has established himself as a cornerstone forward for the Hurricanes now and into the future,” Waddell said in the team’s official release. “He has shown that he is capable of adapting and expanding his role with our team, becoming a key penalty killer for [head coach Rod Brind’Amour] this season. He’s still just 24 years old and we believe he will only continue to grow as a player.”

Teravainen put up a career-high 23 goals and 64 points last season and has 10 goals and 39 points in 48 games so far this season. He has emerged as one of the team’s top producers playing alongside top scorer and fellow Finn Sebastian Aho.

The Canes have more work to do with key players on expiring contracts. Forward Micheal Ferland will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and will need to be extended or traded ahead of the NHL’s Feb. 25 deadline.

The team also needs to extend Aho, who will be a restricted free agent come July.