Michael Leighton put on waivers

The Carolina Hurricanes today placed back-up goaltender Michael Leighton on waivers. 

Leighton, a former starter for the Rats, could be snatched up by another team at half price or reassigned to Albany should he go unclaimed. 

The Hurricanes signed veteran goalie Manny Legace earlier in the season after Cam Ward was injured. With Ward expected to return December 9, the Canes have a surplus of netminders.

Legace was favored over Leighton from the start and the vet outperformed the younger goaltender in the handful of games they split.

Leighton, 28, in the final year of his contract with Carolina, was hoping to find a starting job in the NHL next season, but the chances of that happening now are slim to none. 

In seven games with the Hurricanes this season, Leighton has a less than impressive 4.28 GAA and a .850 SV%. 

In 19 NHL games last season Leighton registered a decent 2.92 GAA and a .901 SV%. 

With the River Rats in 2007-08, Leighton recorded seven shutouts, a 2.10 GAA and a .931 SV% after 58 games.

If Leighton is reassigned to Albany, he would likely share time or serve as a back-up to Justin Peters, while rookie Mike Murphy could be sent to the ECHL for extra playing time.

UPDATE: Leighton cleared waivers today (12/8) at noon.

Rats hold strong against Pens, 4-1

Mike Angelidis, Justin Peters

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Post-game coverage:

• Rats earn fourth-straight with win over Penguins, AlbanyRiverRats.com
  
• Rats' week is strong, Albany Times Union
  
• Rats notes 'n quotes: Carson also Carolina bound, Albany Times Union
  
• Rats post season-high fourth straight win, Troy Record
  
• River Rats complete perfect weekend with 4-1 win, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  
• Rats stuff Scranton 4-1, WNYT-13
  
• Penguins continue to struggle, lose to Albany, Scranton Times Tribune
• Bounces go Rats' way late in game, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
• Official scoresheet, TheAHL.com
  

Carson called up

Defenseman Brett Carson, alternate captain of the Albany River Rats, was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes shortly before Sunday's contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Carson impressed the NHL coaches during the Canes' training camp in September, but was sidelined early in the season with a broken wrist. His performance in Albany, both before and after the injury, has been nearly flawless.

Carson has developed tremendously over the past year and provides a unique combination of offensive and defensive awareness, putting him in the running for a permanent spot in the NHL, either this year of the next. 

In 14 games with the Rats this season, Carson has three goals, eight assists and a plus-4 rating. 

The dependable blueliner is a core member of the AHL squad and will be sorely missed.

  

Carson joins Jay Harrison, who was recalled to Carolina earlier on Sunday. 

Hurricanes' defenseman Joe Corvo was sidelined with a severe laceration to his leg and achilles tendon on November 30th.

Harrison recalled, Rodney reassigned

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled defenseman Jay Harrison and reassigned Bryan Rodney to the River Rats. 

Rodney was called up to Carolina for the third time this season on December 4th. He skated in one game and registered 17:24 of ice-time. Rodney will return to Albany, where he has a goal and five assists in 15 games thus far this season. 

Jay Harrison, who started the year with the Canes, has a goal, seven assists and a plus-4 rating in 15 contests with Albany this season. Harrison will rejoin Carolina, where he accumulated a goal, two assists and 27 penalty minutes in 10 games prior to be reassigned on November 3rd.

With defenseman Joe Corvo on injured reserve, the Canes will need a substitute for the next two to three months. Rodney offers an offensive, puck-moving style, whereas Harrison is more of a stay-at-home D-man. Brett Carson, who falls somewhere in the middle, will likely earn the next audition. 

Rats blast Phantoms, 4-1

Post-game coverage:

• Rats oust Phantoms 4-1, AlbanyRiverRats.com
  
• Northway rivalry one-sided so far, Albany Times Union
  
• Rats notes 'n quotes: Tlusty will play Sunday, Albany Times Union
  
• Rats rookie stymies Adirondack, Troy Record
  
• River Rats' hard work pays off, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  
• Rats take another from Phantoms, Glens Falls Post-Star
  
• River Rats topple Phantoms 4-1, PhantomsHockey.com
  
• Official scoresheet, TheAHL.com
  

Rats defeat first place Bears, 3-1

Post-game coverage:

• Rats edge Hershey 3-1, AlbanyRiverRats.com
  
• Rats defense gets reward, Albany Times Union
  
• Rats notes 'n quotes: Still waiting on Tlusty, Albany Times Union
  
• Special teams, goalie spark Rats, Troy Record
  
• Peters sparkles in 3-1 River Rats triumph, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  
• Official scoresheet, TheAHL.com
  

News & Notes

• Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union catches up with injured defenseman Casey Borer, who recently returned to Albany and started skating for the first time since having neck surgery in September. 

• Forward Rob Hennigar, who was recently recalled from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, chats with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record about his new role as a member of the Albany River Rats. 

• Goaltender Justin Peters talks with Bill Cain of the Schenectady Daily Gazette about his time with the Canes and his desire to stay focused and prepared for any and all opportunities.  

• Center Harrison Reed, who was reassigned to the Florida Everblades on November 24, earned ECHL player of the week honors after scoring seven goals and five assists in four games with the Blades.

• Hurricanes' General Manager Jim Rutherford has expressed interest in "transitioning" his team. "If we could [move contracts out], we would probably move a handful of guys out today and move the younger guys in, even if they weren't ready," Rutherford told Tracking the Storm. The process is easier said than done. 

• Hurricanes' goaltender Cam Ward, who was cut by a skate blade on November 7, returned to practice this week and is hoping to play in net against New Jersey on December 9th. Barring any more injuries, the Canes will soon have three healthy netminders. Veteran goalie Manny Legace, who was signed to a two-way deal after Ward went down, could be reassigned to Albany. 

• Cory Lavalette at Canes Country has a bit more on the latest addition to the Rats' squad, Jiri Tlusty.

• Who is the funniest River Rat? Watch the latest installment of Murphy's Mailbag and find out. 

Jiri Tlusty to join Rats

The Carolina Hurricanes today acquired forward Jiri Tlusty from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the rights to 2009 first-round draft pick Philippe Paradis.

Tlusty (pronounced "To-loo-stee") will join the Albany River Rats, while Paradis, 18, remains in juniors with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. 

Tlusty, a six-foot-tall 209-pound goal-scorer and playmaker from the Czech Republic, was a first-round pick by the Leafs in 2006. The 21-year-old has skated in 74 NHL contests, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists. 

In 130 regular season and playoff games with the Toronto Marlies, Tlusty netted 45 goals and accumulated 70 assists for 116 points. Tlusty tallied 66 points (25 G, 41 A) in 66 games last season with the Marlies and has 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in 19 games so far this year. 

Highlights of Tlusty's five-goal game against the Syracuse Crunch on February 18, 2009.

"They're two different types of players," said Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford, referring to Paradis and Tlusty. "We need to score more goals and we need to have skill. In our opinion, Philippe is more along the lines of a power forward and Jiri is more skilled where we project him being able to put up points in our top six."

"This trade gives us an opportunity to pick up a young, skilled forward who is further along in the development phase," Rutherford said. "I'm dealing with trying to put a player in our lineup by the start of next season that's going to be able to help produce points."

Read more at Tracking the Storm.

Micflikier swapped with Pistilli

The River Rats today recalled forward Jacob Micflikier from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and reassigned forward Matthew Pistilli. 

Micflikier has three goals in five games with Albany this season and is the ECHL's top scorer with 32 points (9 G, 23 A) in 16 games. He was recently named ECHL player of the month for November. 

Matthew Pistilli has three goals, two assists and a +2 rating in 21 games with the Rats this season. The undrafted rookie forward, signed during the offseason by the Carolina Hurricanes, has been heavily involved in humanitarian efforts around the Albany area.

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.

Dwyer reassigned

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned Pat Dwyer to the River Rats. 

Albany's top goal-scorer and respected captain was recalled on November 19 after a string of injuries left the Canes without a complete line-up.

Dwyer played six games with Carolina, averaging 10:53 of ice-time and filling in on the penalty killing unit. 

Dwyer nearly scored on November 28, but the net was knocked off a fraction of a second before he put the puck over the line.