With the regular season over and their playoff fate up in the air, the Checkers have made a pair of roster moves, assigning forward Ethan Werek to Florida and releasing Mike Cornell from his PTO.
Werek started the season in the ECHL for the first time in his career, recording 26 points (12g, 14a) in 25 games and leading the Everblades in goals at the time. The fifth-year pro then joined the Checkers on a PTO and eventually earned a standard AHL contract, spending the remainder of the season with the Checkers and putting up 16 points (9g, 7a) in 40 games with Charlotte.
Cornell also began his season with the Everblades, tallying four points (1g, 3a) in 13 games, before signing a PTO with the Checkers for the second consecutive season. Cornell became a mainstay on the blue line, renewing his PTO several times to remain with the Checkers for the rest of the season, playing in a career high 51 games and recording nine points (3g, 6a).
Both moves are intended to help the Everblades, who are currently in the first round of the ECHL playoffs. After dropping game one of the opening round to the Wheeling Nailers last night 6-3, Florida will host game two tonight, and both Werek and Cornell are expected to suit up.
The Checkers’ playoff hopes now rest in the hands of the San Jose Barracuda. Charlotte needs San Jose to come away with zero points in their two-game series with Stockton, with games tonight and tomorrow, in order to qualify for the postseason.
