The Checkers return from the holiday break with two new additions from their ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades – forward Gabriel Desjardins and goaltender Daniel Altshuller.
Desjardins, 22, begins his third stint with the Checkers since signing his first professional tryout contract with the club on Nov. 18. The native of Montreal, Quebec, has one assist in eight games with Charlotte this season, having only recently left the club following its most recent game against San Antonio on Dec. 21. Desjardins (6’0”, 212 lbs.) has 12 points (7g, 5a) in 17 games for the Everblades this season.
Desjardins returns to the lineup to replace Brendan Woods, who the Carolina Hurricanes recalled on Friday.
Altshuller, 20, joins the Checkers for the first time, having begun his rookie season with the Everblades. In eight games played, the 20-year-old native of Nepean, Ontario, is 6-1-0 with a 3.19 goals-against average and .886 save percentage. The Hurricanes’ third-round draft pick (69th overall) in 2012 has yet to make his AHL debut.
Altshuller (6’4”, 201 lbs.) joins the Checkers to replace veteran Drew MacIntyre, who is representing Canada at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland and will miss each of Charlotte’s next three games. He went 78-47-8 in 140 games over three seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL and set career bests with a 2.56 goals-against average and .917 save percentage last season.
The Checkers begin a three-game road trip with back-to-back games in Texas and Oklahoma City on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
