RALEIGH, NC - Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team will assign forwards Brendan Woods and Brody Sutter, defensemen Keegan Lowe and Matt Tennyson and goaltender Michael Leighton to Charlotte on Thursday, pending waivers.

The Hurricanes take on the Buffalo Sabres tonight at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Following the game, the team returns to Raleigh, where the Hurricanes will host the Washington Capitals in their exhibition finale on Friday at PNC Arena at 7 p.m.