Carolina Hurricanes return Nicolas Roy, Janne Kuokkanen to junior clubs

The Carolina Hurricanes returned two more players to their junior clubs on Wednesday, leaving 51 players still in camp ahead of Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at PNC Arena.

Forwards Nicolas Roy (Chicoutimi, QMJHL) and Janne Kuokkanen (London, OHL) were released from camp to prepare for the start of their junior hockey seasons. For Kuokkanen, who came over from Finland following the NHL Draft this past summer, it will be his introduction to North American junior hockey. Roy enters his overage season in the Q, his fourth with Chicoutimi, after a two-game cup of coffee with the Charlotte Checkers at the end of last season.

Also on the training camp roster for the first time is Aleksi Saarela, who missed the Traverse City prospect tournament and the first part of Canes camp due to offseason surgery. Saarela is expexted to begin skating with the Canes later this week.

The team press release is below.

ROY, KUOKKANEN RETURNED TO JUNIOR TEAMS

Training camp roster now at 51 players

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has returned forwards Nicolas Roy (Chicoutimi, QMJHL) and Janne Kuokkanen (London, OHL) their respective junior clubs.

The Hurricanes’ training camp roster now stands at 51 players heading into the team’s first home exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday at PNC Arena (7:30 p.m.). The Hurricanes are currently 2-0-0 in the preseason after earning road victories against the Washington Capitals and the Lightning this week.