Checkers Acquire Dustin Tokarski, Loan Josh Wesley To Hartford

The Checkers continue to gear up for a playoff run, acquiring veteran goaltender Dustin Tokarski from the Hartford Wolf Pack in exchange for Josh Wesley.Essentially an AHL trade, the move is technically an exchange of loaned players, meaning that the Carolina Hurricanes still hold the NHL rights to Wesley and the New York Rangers still hold the NHL rights for Tokarski.The 29-year-old Tokarski is in his 10th pro season and has posted a 176-115-14 record with 2.55 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage over 336 AHL games with Norfolk, Syracuse, Hamilton, St. John’s, San Diego, Lehigh Valley and Hartford. Tampa Bay’s fifth-round pick in 2008 has also logged 34 NHL games over his career with Tampa, Montreal and Anaheim. Tokarski, a native of Saskatchewan, has earned titles both as a pro and in junior, capturing a Calder Cup in 2012 with the Admirals and a Memorial Cup in 2008 with the Spokane ChiefsThis season Tokarski has logged more games than any other netminder in Hartford and picked up the most wins, posting a 10-6-0 record with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage for a Wolf Pack club currently sitting in last place in the Atlantic.Welsey heads to Hartford from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, where he has notched 14 points in 39 games. A fourth-round pick in 2014 by Carolina, the blue liner has appeared in six games for Charlotte this season – but only once since Dec. 7 – and picked up a pair of assists during his AHL stint.The Checkers return to action Friday to kick off a two-game home set against the Binghamton Devils.