Needing cover at defense due to Ramus Rissanen’s injury and another recall for Michal Jordan, the Checkers signed Mike Cornell to a professional tryout contract on Sunday.
Cornell, a 26-year-old, second-year pro out of the University of Maine, joins the Checkers from their ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades, where he has five points (1g, 4a) and 21 penalty minutes in 41 games this season. He has played the majority of the season under PTOs at the AHL level, having previously signed with St. John’s and Springfield twice each.
A 5-foot-11, 190-pound native of Franklin, MA, Cornell had only recently returned to Florida after his release from Springfield on Feb. 12. He has six points (2g, 4a) in 26 total AHL games this season.
Prior to signing Cornell, the Checkers had just six defensemen on their roster as they get set to begin a four-game, week-long road trip to Toronto and Hamliton starting with the first of two games against the Marlies Sunday afternoon. Rissanen, injured during Wednesday’s win over Iowa, missed the following day’s rematch and Friday’s practice. Jordan, who made a brief return to Charlotte to fill the roster on Thursday, returned to Carolina on Saturday.
Cornell has 61 total games of AHL experience with Bridgeport, St. John’s and Springfield, scoring 16 points (6g, 8a). In four college seasons with Maine, he totaled 29 points (5g, 24a) in 128 games.
