Cam Ward To IR; Daniel Altshuller Earns First NHL Recall

A year ago, goaltender Daniel Altshuller was with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, having played just once in more than a five week stretch. With Cam Ward placed on injured reserve Wednesday due to a concussion, Altshuller is now in the NHL.

According to the team, Ward passed all concussion protocols until Wednesday, but the results of that day's testing led to his placement on IR. Eddie Lack will surely take on full-time No. 1 duties in Ward's absense, but Altshuller could see his first NHL action this weekend with Carolina facing three games in four nights starting tomorrow in Toronto.

Since being recalled to Charlotte from the ECHL, Altshuller has been nearly perfect in net for the Checkers. He is 9-1-1 with a .941 save percentage and 1.71 goals-against average with one shutout. In 11 appearances, Altshuller has allowed more than two goals just twice — three in an overtime loss Dec. 20 to Lake Erie, and four in his lone regulation loss Jan. 12 vs. Grand Rapids — and has helped propel the Checkers to second in the AHL's Western Conference. Altshuller, 21, was a third round pick in the 2013 draft and is in his second professional season.

Ward had earned points for Carolina in each of his past five starts. That included a win Jan. 12 vs. Pittsburgh when he took a shot off the mask from the Penguins Phil Kessel that could potentially be the cause of his injury (given that Ward initially passed his concussion tests, the team is unsure of when Ward suffered the concussion). Ward is 14-11-5 this season with a .905 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average for Carolina.

Here is the release from the team:

‘CANES RECALL ALTSHULLER FROM CHARLOTTE
Cam Ward placed on injured reserve with a concussion

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled goaltender Daniel Altshuller from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Goaltender Cam Ward has been placed on injured reserve after being diagnosed with a concussion.

Altshuller, 21, has a 9-1-1 record with a 1.71 goals-against average, a .941 save percentage and one shutout in 11 games for Charlotte this season. Prior to joining the Checkers, he appeared in 14 games for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, leading all ECHL netminders in goals-against average (1.58), save percentage (.941) and shutouts (3), while compiling a record of 10-3-0.

Carolina’s third-round selection, 69th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft, Altshuller (6’3", 205 lbs.) is in his second professional season after completing a three-year career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with Oshawa. The Ottawa, Ont., native was 78-47-8 with a 2.80 goals-against average and five shutouts in 140 career games for the Generals.