After 23 games in Charlotte, defenseman Ryan Murphy is headed back to where he started the season.
The Carolina Hurricanes summoned the offensive-minded blueliner on Tuesday, one day prior to their New Year’s Eve contest in Pittsburgh. Should he play (the Hurricanes had six healthy defensemen at Tuesday’s practice), it would mark his first NHL game since Oct. 28.
While with the Checkers, Murphy, who posted one assist in six games with Carolina this season, made his usual impact on the score sheet. His 17 points tie Chad LaRose for most on the team and make him one of eight AHL defensemen to hold at least a share of his team’s lead in scoring. He is the only AHL player to do so without scoring a single goal, as his assist total ranks third among league blueliners and is at least seven more than any other Checker.
Murphy, the Hurricanes’ first-round draft choice (12th overall) in 2011, has 41 points (3g, 38a) in 48 career AHL games dating back to the 2012-13 season.
The departure of Murphy to Carolina and Charlotte’s release of Mike Little from his professional tryout contract leave the Checkers with just five available defensemen heading into Wednesday’s rematch with the Oklahoma City Barons, suggesting that an addition is likely to come by that time.
It also leaves the Checkers, who rank last in the AHL with a 9.2 percent success rate on the power play, without their top producer in terms of assists and points (7) on the man advantage.
