The Charlotte Checkers announced today the team has signed forwards Riley Hughes and Phillip Tresca to AHL contracts.
Hughes, 26, appeared in 57 games with Charlotte’s ECHL affiliate, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, recording 15 goals and 18 assists. He helped lead the Ghost Pirates to their first Kelly Cup Playoff berth in franchise history, skating in four postseason games.
The Westwood, MA, native played in 31 contests with the Checkers in the 2024-25 regular season, logging eight points (three goals, five assists). Hughes was selected with the 216th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers.
Tresca, 24, has spent the last four years at Harvard University, posting 16 goals and 30 assists for the Crimson. This past season, the Boston, MA, native hit collegiate career-highs in goals (eight) and assists (11) in 30 outings.
Before attending Harvard, the 6-foot, 198-pound forward spent two years with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.
The Florida Panthers announced today the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Mikulas Hovorka on a one-year, two-way contract.
Hovorka, 25, scored five goals and added 13 assists in 57 games with the Checkers this past year. The Prague, Czechia, native has completed two seasons in the Queen City, registering 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 117 regular-season appearances. He’s skated in 23 Calder Cup Playoff games, contributing five assists.
The right-handed blueliner made his NHL debut with the Panthers on February 5, 2026, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hovorka recorded his first NHL point with an assist on April 15, 2026, against the Detroit Red Wings.
