Defenseman Derek Joslin has been recalled from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) to join the Hurricanes, the team announced this morning.

Joslin, 24, had three assists in four games during his AHL conditioning stint with the Checkers.

For most of the Canes' players, tonight's game will be the only time they'll play the Detroit Red Wings this season.

But not Derek Joslin. Before being traded to the Canes from the San Jose Sharks, the defenseman faced the Wings twice, in late-November and early December. He also had an assist in each game as the Sharks and Wings split.

Joslin's scouting report for tonight: "The biggest challenge for us is to stay out of the penalty box. They are so skilled on the power play, so we will give ourselves a better chance if we stay out of the box and just play our game.

"We're a really good team. Our offense matches up with their offense. We've just got to get to their goaltender, put a lot of shots on net and be physical since they don't like to play physical."

Derek Joslin made the transformation from San Jose Shark to Carolina Hurricane quickly.

Traded Friday afternoon from San Jose to Carolina, the defenseman said he hopped a red-eye flight East, arriving in Raleigh at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Canes did not have a morning skate, and Joslin was needed in the lineup Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils when Joni Pitkanen (lower-body injury) was unable to play.

Joslin, wearing No. 33, was on the ice when the Devils scored just 1:14 into the game. He finished with 11:07 of ice time -- the lowest among the Canes' defensemen -- and had two hits and a takeaway.

"The first couple of shifts I was a little nervous," Joslin said.

Not to put a damper on all the good feelings engendered by Rod Brind’Amour’s great speech tonight and all the pomp and circumstance that went with it, but Ian White’s departure should raise a red flag for Hurricanes fans along with that No. 17 banner.

A second-round pick and a prospect is undeniably a great return for an impending unrestricted free agent like White, there’s no question about that. But it’s the kind of deal a team makes when the playoffs are out of the picture, not from the eighth spot.