Thursday, February 6, 2014

Updated: Checkers recall Dolan & Schmitz

According to a team release, center Sean Dolan and defenseman Beau Schmitz have been recalled to the Checkers for Friday’s home game against the Oklahoma City Barons. 

Both players have spent the majority of the season in Charlotte, with Schmitz being assigned to Florida on Jan. 25 and Dolan heading down on Jan. 31 as part of a conditioning stint.

Dolan, who had been sidelined with an upper-body injury, recorded four points (2g, 2a) in three games with the Everblades. 

Schmitz, 22 , tallied four assists in six games in the Everblades. The second-year pro was originally sent to the ECHL to make room for Ryan Murphy. He has two goals and four assists in 23 games with Charlotte this season.

“We can’t travel with everybody and (Dolan and Schmitz) were ready to play,” Jeff Daniels told Charlotte Checkers writer Paul Branecky on Friday morning. “It gave them a chance to keep playing games as opposed to staying back here and skating with one or two guys. This way they got back in game situations.”

With Jared Staal and Nicolas Blanchard each ready to return from injuries, the Checkers sent A.J. Jenks and Matthew Pistilli back to Florida by way of releasing them from their pro tryout agreements.

“Blanchard was probably playing his best hockey of his career before he got hurt, just being very composed with the puck, wanting the puck, scoring some goals but also being that hard player to play against,” Daniels told Branecky. “It showed in practices and games where he had a smile on his face and he was ready to go. He’ll be a good plus for us tonight.”

Jenks and Pistilli both began this season in the ECHL with Florida. Jenks scored five points (2g, 3a) in 24 games with Charlotte, while Pistilli, the ECHL's leading scorer at the time of his signing with the Checkers this season, had eight points (4g, 4a) in 14 outings.

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