Another member of last year's Checkers team has been brought back into the fold, with center Brody Sutter re-signing with the Hurricanes on a one-year, two-way contract.
The 23-year-old missed a sizeable chunk of last season with a lower-body injury, but battled back to record 25 points in 45 games. When he was on the ice, Sutter had success putting the puck in the net, potting a career-high 12 goals and rattling off a red-hot stretch of 10 points in his final nine games of the season.
Sutter also made his NHL debut last season, playing four games for the Hurricanes, including one in his hometown of Calgary.
Given the nature of a two-way deal, there is a chance that Sutter could continue to see time in Charlotte next season. Should that be the case, the 6-foot-5 Sutter gives the Checkers a solid option down the middle, where he figures to fit in as one of the team's top centers. His frantic pace of scoring down the stretch of last season is an exciting glimpse of what the forward can bring to the table when healthy, and if he can grow in that sense, he could provide solid depth scoring for Charlotte.
