Heading into this afternoon's game against the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Charlotte Checkers have announced the signing of forward Andrew Rowe to a professional tryout contract.
Rowe, 26, began this season with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, where he racked up eight points (4g, 4a) in his first seven games. The former Michigan State Spartan has averaged over a point-per-game each of his last two seasons in the ECHL, putting up 66 points (31g, 35a) in 64 games last season and 71 points (28g, 43a) in 66 games in 2012-13.
The Checkers will face the Bulldogs short at least one body today, as rookie Brock McGinn was suspended for one game for an illegal hit to the head of a Hamilton player in Friday's game. They could also be without alternate captain Ben Holmstrom, whose status for today's contest is uncertain following his departure from Friday's game with an apparent upper body injury. Carter Sandlak was the lone healthy extra on Friday, so if Holmstrom is unable to play, the team would be short one forward, a problem fixed by the Rowe signing.
The undrafted forward has scored 27 points (17g, 10a) in 101 career AHL games with the Adirondack Phantoms, Norfolk Phantoms and Hartford Wolf Pack.
