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The Aucoin brothers will be remaining in the Carolina Hurricanes organization.

Keith Aucoin signed a two-year deal with the parent club, and Phil, who played most of last season in Estero, re-signed with the Everblades on Wednesday.

Phil Aucoin, 24, was seventh on the Everblades in scoring last year, with 43 points in 65 games after being acquired early in the season from the Charlotte Checkers. He had 17 goals, including four on the power play and two shorthanded After not seeing any ice time in the playoffs, Aucoin wondered if he’d be welcomed back.

“I kind of thought they were going to go a different direction,” he said. “I was hoping not. ... It’s definitely a place I’d like to call home.”

When the team’s decision on its protected list came, Aucoin was on it. The same when qualifying offers were issued on July 1.

“I had a lot of teams potentially calling me,” Aucoin said. “I was kind of playing them off to see if there was a possibility I could come back.”

“Phil had a strong year for us last season, and we look for him to have the same type of result for us this season,” Everblades head coach Gerry Fleming said in a press release. “Phil brought great energy to our lineup and was a strong addition to our special teams.”

Aucoin joins defenseman Steve Czech and forward Ernie Hartlieb as Everblades under contract for 2006-07. Aucoin is the first of six players who were extended qualifying offers to accept.

Forward Kevin Bergin and defensemen John Adams, Tyson Teplitsky, Matt Bannan and Chris Lee are the others. Forward Reggie Berg and defenseman Ryan Brindley weren’t extended qualifying offers, but still are expected to sign with the club.

Keith Aucoin, 27, led Carolina’s former American Hockey League affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, with 29 goals and 56 assists last year. Carolina’s new affiliate is in Albany, N.Y. He made his NHL debut on Jan. 23 against Montreal and had one assist in seven games.

Aucoin, who played one game for the Everblades in 2001-02, practiced and traveled with the Hurricanes during their run to the Stanley Cup. He will earn $450,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level in the first year, and $475,000 at the NHL level and $110,000 in the AHL in the second year.

“He’s been waiting for one of those (a two-year deal) for a while,” Phil Aucoin said. “He’ll be the No. 1 guy down there (in Albany). I think it was a good signing for them. I’m sure he’ll be the captain or the assistant captain in Albany if he doesn’t make it (with the Hurricanes).”

-- ALL-STAR GAME TO IDAHO: The 2007 ECHL All-Star Game will be played in Boise, Idaho, and hosted by the Idaho Steelheads on Jan. 17. It will be the 15th anniversary of the game. The 10th Rbk Hockey Skills Competition will be Jan. 16 at Qwest Arena.

-- NOTES: The Columbia Inferno announced affiliations with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on Wednesday. The Inferno formerly had affiliations with Vancouver of the NHL and Manitoba of the AHL. ... The Augusta Lynx also have a new affiliate, Anaheim of the NHL. Former Everblades coach Bob Ferguson is head coach and director of hockey operations for the Lynx.