Canes Recall Six Players From Chicago

RALEIGH, NC. -Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forwards Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Jamieson Rees and Ryan Suzuki, defenseman Maxime Lajoie and goaltender Zach Sawchenko from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Koivunen, 19, spent most of the 2022-23 season with Karpat (Liiga), recording 28 points (12g, 16a) in 52 games in Finland's top professional league. He also began his North American career with Chicago, scoring one goal in 12 AHL games. The 5'11", 161-pound forward has tallied 57 points (23g, 34a) in 105 Liiga games with Karpat from 2021-23 and led all rookies in assists (18) and points (29) in 2021-22. Koivunen was also named the top player in Finland's under-18 league in 2019-20 and Rookie of the Year in Finland's under-20 league in 2020-21. The Oulu, Finland, native won a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and served as one of Finland's alternate captains at the event in 2023. Koivunen was selected by Carolina in the second round, 51st overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Lajoie, 25, skated in three NHL games with the Hurricanes this season and has earned 15 points (7g, 8a) in 70 career NHL games with Ottawa and Carolina. He also made two playoff appearances with the Hurricanes during the 2021 First Round against Nashville. The 6'1", 185-pound defenseman was named Chicago's captain prior to the 2022-23 season and posted 45 points (11g, 34a) in 63 AHL games with the Wolves, earning selection to the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic. Lajoie has tallied 132 points (26g, 106a) in 257 career AHL games with Belleville and Chicago from 2017-23. The Quebec City, Que., native was selected by Ottawa in the fifth round, 133rd overall, of the 2016 NHL Draft, and he was acquired from the Senators by the Hurricanes in exchange for Clark Bishop on Jan. 12, 2021.
Ponomarev, 21, played his first full professional season in North America in 2022-23, tallying 46 points (24g, 22a) in 64 AHL games with Chicago. He has recorded 56 points (27g, 29a) in 75 AHL games since debuting with the Wolves last season. The 5'10", 181-pound forward skated in 14 Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games with Spartak in 2021-22, recording two points (1g, 1a). Ponomarev also played 21 games with Khimik Voskresensk (VHL) last season, earning 13 points (7g, 6a) in Russia's second-highest professional league. The Moscow native led all Russian skaters with three goals in seven games at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and also won a gold medal at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Ponomarev was selected by the Hurricanes in the second round, 53rd overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Rees, 22, set new AHL career highs in goals (14), assists (28) and points (42) in 65 games with the Wolves this season. The 5'11", 184-pound forward has registered 80 points (29g, 51a) in 155 career AHL games since debuting with Chicago in 2020-21. Rees has been assessed 174 penalty minutes through three AHL seasons, including four fighting majors. A native of Hamilton, Ont., native Rees was selected by Carolina in the second round, 44th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Sawchenko, 25, earned a 1-2-1 record, 3.35 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in seven NHL appearances with San Jose in 2021-22. The 6'1", 185-pound goaltender posted a 17-18-3 record, 3.10 goals-against average, .895 save percentage and one shutout in 41 AHL games with Chicago this season. Sawchenko has played 73 AHL games with San Jose and Chicago from 2019-23, registering a 28-35-5 record, 3.18 goals-against average, .896 save percentage and two shutouts He also made 20 ECHL appearances with Allen from 2019-21, earning a 13-4-3 record, 2.42 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and two shutouts. The Calgary, Alta., native has represented Canada at numerous international tournaments, including the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2015 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. Sawchenko signed with Carolina as a free agent on July 14, 2022.
Suzuki, 21, earned an AHL career-high 32 points (13g, 19a) in 50 games with Chicago in 2022-23. The 6'1", 196-pound forward has recorded 56 points (25g, 31a) in 110 career AHL games since making his professional debut with the Wolves in 2020-21. Suzuki played 173 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games with Barrie and Saginaw from 2017-20, serving as one of the Colts' alternate captains for parts of two seasons. The London, Ont., native has represented Canada internationally and won a silver medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Suzuki was selected by Carolina in the first round, 28th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.