Hurricanes agree to sale; Bettman insists they won't relocate

The Carolina Hurricanes have an agreement in place to sell the team, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is adamant that they're not going anywhere.

The Hurricanes announced Thursday that the club has signed a purchase agreement with its prospective new owner, Dallas-based businessman Tom Dundon.

Bettman told reporters the sale won't be officially closed for a few weeks, but insisted "this is not a team that will be moved," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Dundon signed the purchase agreement with longtime Hurricanes chairman Peter Karmanos on Wednesday night. Dundon is the chairman and managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners, a private investment firm.

Under the new agreement, Dundon will own 52 percent of the team, while Karmanos will own 48 percent, and Dundon will have an option to buy out Karmanos' share in three years' time, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports.

Karmanos has owned the franchise since the Hartford Whalers days. He purchased it along with Compuware partner Thomas Thewes and now-Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford in 1994.