If there's going to be any conversation about the Canes' younger forwards in training camp, Jiri Tlusty said he wants to be included.
"It looks like I've been in the league for a long time, but I'm 23 years old," Tlusty said.
Nor does Tlusty feel like he should be lumped in with the Canes' forwards who may have already secured a roster spot and can go through camp feeling, well, secure.
"I don't go out there like I deserve a spot," he said. "I am giving everything I have."
The Pittsburgh Penguins keep losing players. And adding players.
The Pens today acquired veteran forward Alex Kovalev from the Ottawa Senators, TSN is reporting. Earlier this week, Pittsburgh traded for forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskonen in a deal with the Dallas Stars.
The Pens, who face the Canes tomorrow night at the RBC Center, had defenseman Brooks Orpik suffer a hand injury Wednesday night in the loss to the San Jose Sharks. Orpik joins a lengthening injury list that includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz, Paul Martin, Mark Letestu and others.
The Canes, in contrast, have one player out: fourth-line center Ryan Carter, who missed practice today and is being called day-to-day by coach Paul Maurice.
Forward Jiri Tlusty has been activated from injured reserve, the Canes said today. Tlusty, who has missed the last 14 games with an upper-body injury, is eligible to return for this afternoon’s game in Boston.
Tlusty, 22, has scored three goals and added one assist in 21 games with the Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes reassigned forward Jon Matsumoto to the team's AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday.
Matsumoto had been called up on Jan. 7 and played in the Canes last two games.
With forwards Jussi Jokinen and Jiri Tlusty and most recently Ryan Carter out with injuries, Matsumoto followed Charlotte teammates Zach Boychuk and Zac Dalpe in being called up to the Hurricanes.
ATLANTA -- It took 30 games, but the Carolina Hurricanes finally got their first look Thursday at the Atlanta Thrashers.
Turns out, it was a long look.
The Hurricanes and Thrashers went 60 minutes, then an overtime, before finally settling it in a shootout. Carolina won it 3-2, getting shootout goals from Jussi Jokinen and Sergei Samsonov.
Jiri Tlusty was on the ice today at the RecZone and Chad LaRose was not for the Canes' practice.
LaRose was in the building. You could hear him. And coach Paul Maurice said the winger would play Wednesday in the home opener against the Washington Capitals.
"He'll be fine for the morning skate," Maurice said. "We're in-season, so that means there's always guys who can get a little better if they don't skate. But he'll be fine for the morning skate and the game."
The Canes have assigned forward Jiri Tlusy to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) for a conditioning stint.
Tlusty, 22, underwent surgery in late April after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament during the 2010 AHL playoffs. The Slany, Czech Republic, native played in one of Carolina’s five 2010 North American preseason games during training camp and the NHL Premiere Challenge game against SKA St. Petersburg in Russia.
Tlusty can spend as long as two weeks with the Checkers on his conditioning stint before rejoining the Hurricanes.
When the Canes' Jiri Tlusty hit the post with a shot Saturday against the Atlanta Thrashers, he said he detected something of a smile from Thrashers goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.
No surprise, though. Tlusty and Pavelec both are native Czechs, and Tlusty said they had
been close friends since they were six years old. Tlusty said they had dinner Friday night, noting he paid the check.
And then did Pavelec another favor by hitting the post. The Canes trailed 3-1 late in the second period when Tlusty came ever-so-close to scoring with 2:43 left in the period.
"I was kind of mad," Tlusty said. "He gave me a few looks when he was over near our bench. He was kissing his goal post.
TORONTO — One by one, the Canes rolled their lines today in the morning skate at the Air Canada Centre.
The first line, with Ray Whitney, Matt Cullen and Eric Staal. The second. The third and fourth. Then, a "fifth."
That last line had Erik Cole, Chad LaRose and Sergei Samsonov on it. The injured forwards are along for the two-game road trip, and at least one may be able to play Thursday in Detroit against the Red Wings.
"It's a little unusual from most of our practices the last two months," Canes coach Paul Maurice said. "We had a lot of guys out there."
The Canes are hoping to having Jiri Tlusty's immigration issues cleared up by today.
The forward came to the Canes in a Dec. 3 trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs and assigned to Albany (AHL). He was called up last week from River Rats and played in games Friday at Washington and Saturday in Ottawa, scoring against the Caps on his first shift with the Hurricanes.
According to Brian Tatum, the director of team operations, Tlusty had a different visa status while with the Maple Leafs. He must have a P1 work visa to play for a U.S. team and the Hurricanes applied for one after the trade.
