The Hurricanes have announced the recall of center Brody Sutter.
This is Sutter’s first recall, and if he makes it into the lineup, he will make his NHL debut Thursday against the New York Rangers.
Sutter, a seventh-round draft pick, has totaled 34 points (12g, 24a) in 99 career AHL games, all with the Checkers. The 23-year-old is coming off a season where he set career highs in goals (8), assists (20) and points (28), and ranked in the top 10 in scoring on the Checkers. In the three games he has played this season with the Checkers, Sutter has been held scoreless and registered three shots on goal.
The Sutter name might be familiar to Carolina fans, as Brody would be the third in his family to wear the Hurricanes sweater, joining his cousins Brandon and Brett. Brandon Sutter played 286 games for Carolina from 2008 to 2012 and totaled 107 points (53g, 54a) while Brett was in the organization from 2010 to 2014 and appeared in 36 games for the Hurricanes.
Sutter’s call-up is presumably a response to the rash of injuries that has hit Carolina this season. Already this season, the Hurricanes have already seen Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, Eric Staal and Patrick Dwyer go down with various injuries. That short handedness has caused them to reach into their farm system to fill those needs. Patrick Brown was recalled shortly after being cut from Hurricanes training camp and Zach Boychuk was recalled Sunday after being scratched from the Checkers game at Chicago. These call-ups have left Charlotte thin at forward, but it is unclear whether it will remain that way. The statuses of Skinner and Eric Staal are undecided for Carolina’s game Thursday, and should any of them be able to play, it would seem the Checkers would have one of their players returned in time for the home opener Friday.
