The Carolina Hurricanes will enter a team in the annual Traverse City NHL Prospects Tournament for the fifth time next month, sending 23 players — including 2014 first round pick Haydn Fleury — to compete starting Sept. 12 against Buffalo.
The roster, while will be led by Charlotte Checker head coach Jeff Daniels and assistant coach Geordie Kinnear, includes:
Goalies: Daniel Altshuller, Alex Nedeljkovic
Forwards: Alex Aleardi, Clark Bishop, Patrick Brown, Mathew Campagna, Phil Di Giuseppe, Dryden Hunt, Brock McGinn, Brent Pedersen, Victor Rask, Carter Sandlak, Sergey Tolchinksy, Brady Vail, Brendan Woods
Defense: Trevor Carrick, Jake Chelios, Haydn Fleury, Tyler Ganly, Kyle Jenkins, Patrick McEachen, Dennis Robertson, Josh Wesley
Here's the release from the team:
‘CANES TO RETURN TO TRAVERSE CITY ROOKIE TOURNEY
2014 first-rounder Haydn Fleury among 13 Hurricanes draftees set to competeRALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the Hurricanes will participate in the 2014 NHL Prospects Tournament from Sept. 12-16, in Traverse City, MI. This marks Carolina’s fifth appearance at the annual tournament, hosted by the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes’ squad won the tournament in 2009.
Jeff Daniels, head coach and general manager of Carolina’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, will coach the Hurricanes’ team along with Charlotte assistant coach Geordie Kinnear. Teams will be comprised of drafted players and signees from each of the eight participating NHL clubs, as well as amateur tryout invitees. A limited number of players with prior professional experience, but in no case more than one full season, are eligible to compete.
The Hurricanes’ squad for the 2014 tournament is comprised of 13 players drafted by Carolina, including first-round draft pick Haydn Fleury (2014 – 7th overall), and second-round picks Phil Di Giuseppe (2012 – 38th overall), Brock McGinn (2012 – 47th overall), Alex Nedeljkovic (2014 – 37th overall) and Victor Rask (2011 – 42nd overall). Joining the team’s drafted players are Hurricanes free-agent signees Patrick Brown, Carter Sandlak and Sergey Tolchinsky, 2014 Brown University graduate Dennis Robertson whom the team acquired via trade in January, and six tryout invitees.
The Hurricanes will open tournament play on Friday, Sept. 12, against the Buffalo Sabres at 4 p.m. Carolina then will take on the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 3:30 p.m., before finishing round-robin play against the New York Rangers on Monday, Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Once the eight teams have finished round-robin play in two groups, each team will play a final game on Tuesday, Sept. 16, to determine final tournament ranking. All games will take place at Centre Ice Arena, the training camp home of the Red Wings. Click here for more information on the 2014 NHL Prospects Tournament.
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Radio show host Dan Patrick created a bit of a fervor when he proclaimed that the Arizona Coyotes or Carolina Hurricanes could be relocated to Las Vegas as part of the NHL’s plans to expand to Sin City. Patrick is a part of ESPN’s long history of taking shots at the Hurricanes, presumably due to the team's move from Hartford — Bristol, Conn., home of ESPN is just 20 miles from Connecticut's capital — to North Carolina.
It is likely just the latest in a series of potshots Patrick has taken at the Hurricanes and their owner, Peter Karmanos Jr., but here is the audio from Patrick’s show. Take from it what you will.