RALEIGH, NC - Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled goaltender Michael Leighton from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Leighton had been assigned to the Checkers to play Friday night's game against the Bakersfield Condors, where he stopped 23 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss. He rejoins the Hurricanes for tonight's game in San Jose.

Leighton, 35, is 1-1 with a 3.05 goals-against average this season for the Hurricanes. The Petrolia, Ont., native ranks third among AHL goaltenders this season in goals-against average (1.78) and save percentage (.932), earning a 6-2-2 record for Charlotte. In 108 career NHL regular-season games, Leighton (6'3", 186 lbs.) has compiled a 36-42-14 record, a 2.96 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage with Chicago, Nashville, Philadelphia and Carolina. He was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round, 165th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, and signed as a free agent with the Hurricanes on Sept. 7, 2016.