Leivo

RALEIGH, NC - Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has reassigned forwards Josh Leivo, Andrew Poturalski and C.J. Smith to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Leivo, 28, has earned 19 points (6g, 13a) in 15 AHL games with the Wolves this season and ranks fourth on the team in points and second in points per game (1.27). He has played 186 career AHL games with Toronto and Chicago from 2012-21, posting 143 points (57g, 86a). The 6'2", 192-pound forward has skated in three NHL games with Carolina in 2021-22 and posted an assist against Los Angeles on Saturday for his first Hurricanes point. Leivo has recorded 74 points (37g, 38a) in 210 career NHL games with Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Carolina from 2013-21. Prior to turning professional, the Innisfil, Ont., native posted 176 points (74g, 102a) in 193 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games with Sudbury and Kitchener from 2010-12. Selected by Toronto in the third round, 86th overall, of the 2011 NHL Draft, Leivo signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent on July 28.
Poturalski, 27, has tallied 34 points (12g, 22a) in 23 AHL games with the Wolves in 2021-22 and leads the league in assists and points. The 5'10", 183-pound forward was selected as the AHL's Player of the Week on Nov. 1 and Dec. 13 and was named the league's Player of the Month for October. Poturalski has recorded 260 points (89g, 171a) in 322 career AHL games with Charlotte, San Diego and Chicago from 2016-21. He won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the league's top scorer last season and won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs in 2019, leading the league with 23 points (12g, 11a) in 18 postseason games as the Checkers won the AHL championship. The Williamsville, N.Y., native has skated in two NHL games with Carolina this season, posting two power-play assists for the first two points of his NHL/Hurricanes career. Prior to turning professional, he posted 81 points (36g, 45a) in 77 NCAA games at New Hampshire from 2014-16 and was named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in his final season with the Wildcats. Poturalski originally signed with Carolina as an undrafted free agent on March 8, 2016, and after spending the last two seasons in Anaheim's organization, he re-signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent on Aug. 1.
Smith, 27, has recorded 28 points (10g, 18a) in 24 AHL games with Chicago this season and ranks second in the league in points and tied for third in assists. Smith has skated in 208 career AHL games with Rochester and Chicago from 2017-21, registering 170 points (71g, 99a). The 5'11", 183-pound forward made his Hurricanes debut on Saturday and has earned three points (2g, 1a) in 15 career NHL games with Buffalo and Carolina from 2017-21. Prior to turning professional, he played three seasons of college hockey at UMass-Lowell from 2014-17, tallying 125 points (56g, 69a) in 120 games. The Des Moines, Iowa, native also spent one season in the USHL in 2013-14, posting 45 points (27g, 18a) in 59 games with Muskegon and Chicago. Smith signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent on July 28.