News & Notes

• The regular weekly round-up is available at the Rats' website.

• The River Rats have been getting along without an official captain for some time. Coach Jeff Daniels tells the Albany Times Union the team has plenty of leaders and is in no rush to designate a new "C" in the near future. 

• The Rats are focused for Wednesday's game and ready to bounce back from Saturday's loss in Hershey. Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette has the story.  

• Goaltender Mike Murphy, who is still recovering from a hip injury, is back at practice and could return to the line-up this weekend.

• Carolina Hurricanes' defenseman Joe Corvo, who was sidelined with a leg laceration in late November, could return to action this weekend, meaning Brett Carson, who was recalled from Albany in early January, may be soon be reassigned to the Rats. The Canes could decide to keep Carson over another blueliner, namely veteran Aaron Ward. 

• The comeback of Casey Borer is the focus of a story today at the NHL's website.

• Forward Milan Gajic recently returned to the ice for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Gajic skated for Albany during the preseason and would have likely joined the Rats at some point during the regular season had he not been sidelined for three months with a leg injury. Gajic is featured in the Naples Daily News.

• Former Rats' enforcer and hometown favorite Reid Simpson is back in the AHL at age 40. Simpson, who was thought to have finished his career in Russia in 2007, recently signed a tryout contract with the Chicago Wolves. The team's website has the story.
  

News & Notes

• The usual weekly round-up has been posted at the Rats' website.

• Forward Nicolas Blanchard talks with the Albany Times Union about his three-game suspension. More here.

• The River Rats released rookie Matt Schepke from his professional tryout contract. 

• Forward Brad Herauf is questionable for tomorrow's game at home against Adirondack. Herauf left the ice Saturday with a lower-body injury after absorbing a hit along the boards.

• Forwards Chad LaRose, Erik Cole and Sergei Samsonov of the Carolina Hurricanes remain day-to-day with injuries. Unless two of three are healthy to play in the Canes' next contest on Thursday, Carolina will be looking for help from Albany.

• Canes' forward Scott Walker, who sustained an upper-body injury on New Years Eve, is scheduled to undergo surgery this week. He is expected to miss at least a month. The Raleigh News & Observer has the news.

• Defenseman Joe Corvo of the Carolina Hurricanes, who suffered a severe leg laceration in late November, is recovering ahead of schedule. Read more at Tracking the Storm.  

• Carolina D-man Aaron Ward is scheduled to play Thursday in his tenth game since clearing waivers. After 10 games of action, Ward will be ineligible for reassignment.
  

Dwyer, Rodney recalled

Pat Dwyer, Bryan Rodney

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled forward Pat Dwyer and defenseman Bryan Rodney from the Albany River Rats. 

Hurricanes' forwards Erik Cole and Chad LaRose remain on injured reserve and Sergei Samsonov is now listed as day-to-day with a lower-body complication. 

Defenseman Joe Corvo, who is out with a severed achilles tendon, is now accompanied on the sidelines by blueliners Niclas Wallin, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and Tim Gleason, who took a puck in the face Friday night in Washington. 

Dwyer and Rodney join Brett Carson and Jay Harrison, both of whom were recalled from Albany last Sunday, as well as center Brandon Sutter, who earned a spot on the NHL roster earlier this season. 

This is the third call-up of the year for Dwyer, who just returned to Albany on Sunday after playing for Carolina the previous two nights. In eight total contests with the Canes this season, Dwyer averaged 11:58 of ice-time and performed admirably on the penalty killing unit. 

Rodney, entering his fourth NHL stint of the year, notched two assists and averaged 18:27 of ice-time in seven games during his previous assignments. He was applauded for moving the puck well and holding down the point on the power play.

The call-up of Rodney leaves the River Rats with just five defenseman.

Bryan Rodney recalled, again

Defenseman Bryan Rodney today was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes to fill the void created by the injury to Canes' D-man Joe Corvo.

Corvo, who has averaged more ice-time than any another other Hurricane, suffered a serious laceration on his achilles tendon on Monday night during a contest against the Washington Captials. He underwent surgery and is expected to miss two to three months.

This is Rodney's third call-up of the season. The others were short-lived, but this one may last a while.

Canes lose Corvo for 2-3 months

Defenseman Joe Corvo of the Carolina Hurricanes is expected to miss two to three months after suffering a serious laceration on the back of his leg last night in Raleigh. 

General Manager Jim Rutherford said the team will likely call up either Brett Carson, Jay Harrison or Bryan Rodney as a replacement.

Corvo has been averaging over 25 minutes of ice-time, more than any other player on the Canes' roster.