The Checkers announced today that they have assigned defenseman Derek Sheppard to the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.

Sheppard, who signed an AHL deal with Charlotte over the summer, has appeared in 11 games for the Checkers this season with 27 penalty minutes under his belt. The blueliner last suited up for the Checkers on Dec. 22 and has been a healthy scratch for the last seven games.

The Checkers, who host Hershey tonight, now have seven healthy options on defense.