Carolina Hurricanes assign Valentin Zykov to Charlotte Checkers

Yesterday, we speculated that the Hurricanes reassigning Patrick Brown to the Charlotte Checkers could mean that Valentin Zykov was close to a return from his upper body injury. Turns out that was indeed the case, although the Canes preferred to call up Lucas Wallmark instead, so Zykov has been reassigned to the Checkers this afternoon.

Zykov scored a goal in his first NHL game, and was then injured early in the subsequent contest. He missed eight games with his injury, coinciding with injuries to Brock McGinn and Jay McClement. McClement remains injured, although he did skate this morning, and everyone else on the Hurricanes’ roster at the moment is healthy and ready to go for tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings.

The release from the team is below.

HURRICANES REASSIGN ZYKOV TO CHARLOTTE

Forward missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has reassigned right wing Valentin Zykov to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Zykov, 21, scored one goal in two games for the Hurricanes, prior to missing the last eight games with an upper-body injury. Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 28, 2016, in exchange for Kris Versteeg. Zykov ranks third among Checkers skaters in goals (15) and points (30) this season, in 55 games played. The St. Petersburg, Russia, native was originally selected by the Kings in the second round, 37^th overall, of the 2013 NHL Draft, and has totaled 22 goals and 22 assists (44 points) in 100 career AHL games with Charlotte and Ontario. Zykov (6’0”, 209 lbs.) notched 184 points (84g, 100a) in 162 games with Baie-Comeau and Gatineau of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) prior to turning professional, and represented Russia in the 2011 World Junior A Challenge, the 2012 World U-17 Challenge and the 2014 World Junior Championship.