HAROLD DRUKEN PICKED UP BY TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 11, 2002) – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager for the Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes announced today that the team has recalled defenseman Tomas Malec from Lowell of the American Hockey League. Hurricanes forward Harold Druken was picked up from the waiver wire by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Malec will be available for Carolina’s game Wednesday night at Edmonton.

Malec (6’2’’, 195 lbs.) has four points (0g, 4a) and 38 penalty minutes in 26 games with Lowell this season. He played four playoff games for Lowell in 2002 after completing his junior hockey career with Rimouski of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 115 career regular season games with Rimoulski, Malec tallied 109 points (27g, 82a) and 362 penalty minutes. Malec was acquired by Carolina on Jan. 16, 2002 from the Florida Panthers along with Bret Hedican and Kevyn Adams in exchange for Sandis Ozolinsh and Byron Ritchie. A native of Skalica, Slovakia, he was originally drafted by the Panthers in the third round (64th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Malec practiced with the Hurricanes’ “Black Aces” throughout the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Druken was acquired by the Hurricanes along with Jan Hlavac on Nov. 1 from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Marek Malik and Darren Langdon. He has tallied three points (1g, 2a) in 13 games with Carolina. Druken had two points (1g, 1a) in three games with Vancouver prior to the trade.