Ahead of their matchup with the New York Rangers on Thursday, the Hurricanes have recalled Eetu Luostarinen from Charlotte.
The 21-year-old Finn leads the Checkers and is tied for third among all AHL rookies with five goals this season, and ranks fourth on the Checkers in scoring with seven points through 10 games.
A second-round pick by Carolina in 2017, Luostarinen made the jump to North America this year after spending the last three seasons with KalPa Kuopio in his home country’s top league.
Additionally, the Checkers have made a swap of their own, recalling Jacob Pritchard from the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits and assigning Spencer Smallman there.
The 24-year-old Pritchard recorded three points (2g, 1a) during his five-game stint with the Swamp Rabbits. He now returns to Charlotte where he has logged four games so far in his rookie season. After a breakout senior season at UMass, Pritchard joined the Checkers for their Calder Cup run last year, notching a goal in six playoff games.
Smallman, 23, heads to Greenville after recovering from an injury that kept him out of the majority of last season. A fifth-round pick in 2015, Smallman put up six assists in 12 games for the Checkers last season before being forced out due to injury. His rookie campaign in 2017-18 saw him log 13 points (2g, 11a) in 14 ECHL games for the ECHL’s Florida Everblades after missing most of that season due to injury as well.
The Hurricanes host the Rangers tomorrow before traveling to Ottawa on Saturday, while the Checkers face off against the Springfield Thudnerbirds on home ice this Friday and Saturday.
