Evan Habeeb – USA TODAY Sports
Earlier this season, a rash of injuries on defense led to the Carolina Hurricanes seeing 2011 first-round pick Ryan Murphy make his NHL debut a bit earlier than expected. While the youngster didn’t put up any points in his four-game stint, he proved more than capable of handling some big minutes and contributing to special teams. Now, with his junior season over, the Hurricanes have assigned Murphy to their AHL affiliate so he can get a few more games in before the end of the season.
This season has been a giant disappointment for the Hurricanes, but Murphy is a prized prospect that headlines a deep list of players ready to contribute in the future. The young defenseman joins a Charlotte Checkers team that has already clinched a playoff berth, so he should be able to get in at least six games with the team. He had three goals and seven points in 10 playoff games for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this season, finishing a career that saw him produce at nearly a point-per-game clip. He leaves the Rangers having scored 53 goals and posting 220 points in 228 games, while adding another 57 points in 53 career playoff games.
While the Hurricanes have a lot of young talent on defense, few of their prospects have the potential to contribute on the offensive end of the ice like Murphy does. He should be all but guaranteed a roster spot in Carolina next season, and the time he puts in for the Checkers this season should be a great learning experience.
Jonathan Katje is an NHL senior writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your circles on Google Plus.
