Yet another Checkers forward will receive his first NHL opportunity of the season as the Carolina Hurricanes recalled Patrick Brown on Friday.
Brown, a 23-year-old in his second professional season, ranks tied for fourth on the Checkers with 13 goals. Of his career-high 23 points, seven (3g, 4a) came in his last nine games. He also posted a plus-6 rating during that span.
Should Brown play in the Hurricanes’ next game at home against the New York Islanders on Saturday, it would be his first in the NHL since he began the 2014-15 season by appearing in each of the Hurricanes’ first seven contests. Along with Derek Ryan, Brendan Woods and Brody Sutter, he becomes the fourth Checkers forward to earn his first recall of the season since the NHL’s trade deadline passed on Feb. 29.
With Brown and Sutter in the NHL and as many as seven other forwards on the injured list (Andrew Miller left Wednesday’s win in Chicago before the game’s conclusion, while Anthony Camara, Dane Fox, Brock McGinn, Justin Shugg, Ethan Werek and Valentin Zykov were already sidelined), the Checkers will likely now look to make an addition or two of their own. Charlotte is down to eight forwards on its roster who finished the last game, though it's possible one or more of the injured players could return.
On defense, the signing of blueliner Zach Miskovic earlier Friday gives the team seven defensemen, enough to compensate for injuries to Danny Biega and Rasmus Rissanen, the latter of whom, like Miller, could not complete Wednesday’s game.
