Forwards Played with Team in Montreal

RALEIGH, N.C. – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced today that the team has reassigned left wings Tomas Kurka and Mike Watt to Lowell of the American Hockey League. Kurka and Watt were recalled from Lowell on Friday and played for Carolina last night in Montreal.

Kurka (5’ 11”, 190 lbs.) was selected by Carolina in the second round, 32nd overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, and has played nine NHL games. He scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut on Feb. 26 at Phoenix, and added a goal and an assist on March 18 against Ottawa. Last night, Kurka set up center Josef Vasicek’s second-period goal for his fourth NHL point. In 59 games with Lowell this season, Kurka, 21, has 16 goals and 11 assists (27 points) and ranks tied for fifth on the team in scoring. A native of Most, Czech Republic, Kurka turned professional last season and had 13 goals and 15 assists (28 points) in 71 regular-season games with Lowell.

Watt (6’ 2’’, 212 lbs.) was signed as a free agent by Carolina in the 2002 offseason. The Seaforth, Ont., native made his Hurricanes debut last night and has played 153 NHL games with Edmonton, New York Islanders, Nashville and Carolina, scoring 41 points (15g, 26a) and accumulating 45 penalty minutes. Watt, 26, has eight goals and 11 assists (19 points) in 57 games with Lowell this season. He was selected by Edmonton in the second round, 32nd overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

The Hurricanes return to the RBC Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to face Toronto. Tickets are available via the team’s official website, CarolinaHurricanes.com, the Dodge Box Office at RBC Center or by calling 919-834-4000.