Trade Sends Forward Harold Druken to Leafs

RALEIGH, N.C. – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired defenseman Allan Rourke from Toronto in exchange for center Harold Druken. In another related move, the Lowell Lock Monsters sent Jeff Daw to the St. John’s Maple Leafs for future considerations.

“Splitting our affiliation in Lowell leaves us with an abundance of forwards in our organization at the minor league level,” said Rutherford. “This trade gives us a chance to get another young defenseman.”

Rourke, 23, completed his third year of professional hockey in 2002-03, posting 12 goals and 19 assists (31 points) in 65 games with the St. John’s Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League. The 6’ 1’’, 215-pound Mississauga, Ont., native has notched 23 goals, 47 assists (70 points) and accumulated 133 penalty minutes in 191 career AHL games. He has yet to make his NHL debut.

Toronto selected Rourke in the sixth round, 154th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to turning professional, Rourke posted 48 goals, 89 assists (137 points) and 207 penalty minutes in four seasons with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. He scored 31 goals, earned 43 assists (74 points) and was named to the second All-Star team in 2000, his final OHL season.

Druken played 14 games with Carolina in 2002-03 notching one assist. In 24 games with Lowell of the AHL, Druken had eight goals and 10 assists (18 points). Daw played 51 games with Lowell and finished fourth on the team with 30 points (14g, 16a).