Goaltender Scott Darling, who was the presumed No. 1 option in Carolina prior to a preseason injury, will take the next step forward in his rehab by joining the Checkers on this week’s road trip.
Darling, who has been out since a Sept. 31 preseason game against Nashville, could play for Charlotte as soon as Wednesday’s game in Utica. If he suits up, it will be first time the Checkers, who are off to a 5-1-0 start, have used a goaltender other than Alex Nedeljkovic this season.
It would also not be the fist time wearing a Checkers sweater for Darling, who signed a professional tryout contract with the team for one weekend during the 2011-12 season, three years before his first NHL game, but did not play.
After getting some game time in with the Checkers, who also play in Binghamton on Friday and in Syracuse on Saturday before returning to Charlotte, Darling will be looking to reclaim his place in a Carolina rotation that has been split evenly between Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney in his absence.
