Canes Activate Kruger from Injured Reserve

RALEIGH, NC - Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has activated forward Marcus Kruger from injured reserve. In addition, the Hurricanes reassigned forward Aleksi Saarela to the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers.

Kruger, 27, has missed the Hurricanes' last four games with a lower-body injury. The Stockholm native has totaled five points (1g, 4a) in 35 games with Carolina this season, after being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights on July 4, 2017, in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Saarela, 20, was recalled from Charlotte on Wednesday, but did not appear in Carolina's 4-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Thursday. He currently ranks third among Checkers skaters with 13 goals this season, and has totaled 19 points in 31 games played in 2017-18. Originally selected by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, Saarela was acquired by the Hurricanes on Feb. 27, 2016, along with second-round picks in the 2016 and 2017 drafts in exchange for Eric Staal.