A contract dispute has ended Carolina Hurricanes radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton's time with the franchise after 39 years, according to Luke DeCock of The News & Observer.

Kaiton's agent countered Carolina's initial offer, which included a significant pay cut, but Hurricanes' new owner Tom Dundon wouldn't budge.

"I was hoping for a reasonable offer to stay but obviously the offer was an invitation to leave," Kaiton said.

"It's his decision to offer what he offered and it was quite a substantial decrease. It really basically told me they weren't that interested in keeping me. That's life. It's his team."

Dundon has made a series of changes within the Hurricanes' organization since taking over in January, including replacing general manager Ron Francis with Don Waddell and hiring Rod Brind'Amour as head coach.

Kaiton won the Hockey Hall of Fame's Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence in 2004. His career began with the Hartford Whalers during the team's inaugural season in 1979-80, and he had been with the club ever since.

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