Canes Assign Bryan Bickell to Charlotte

RALEIGH, NC - Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has assigned left wing Bryan Bickell to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bickell is expected to play for the Checkers Saturday at Bojangles Arena in Charlotte, marking his first game action since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) last fall.

Bickell, 30, scored one goal in seven games with the Hurricanes this season prior to being placed on the injured reserve list after his diagnosis. The Bowmanville, Ont., native was acquired by Carolina on June 15, 2016, from Chicago, where he was a member the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Bickell (6'4", 223 lbs.) was drafted by Chicago in the second round, 41st overall, in the 2004 NHL Draft, and has scored 66 goals and earned 70 assists in 391 NHL career regular-season games with the Blackhawks and Hurricanes.