Carolina Hurricanes Activate Joni Pitkanen from Injured Reserve

Defenseman missed seven games with a lower-body injury

By Ken Preston

RALEIGH, NC March 2, 2013 – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has activated defenseman Joni Pitkanen from injured reserve. Pitkanen missed the Hurricanes’ seven games from Feb. 14-28, with a lower-body injury.

Joni Pitkanen
Carolina Hurricanesarolina

Pitkanen, 29, has scored one goal, earned five assists (6 points) and ranks tied for first among Hurricanes defenseman with a plus-8 plus/minus rating in 12 games this season. The Oulu, Finland, native is averaging a team-high 24:30 of ice time per game and ranks fifth in the NHL in shifts per game (31.4). Pitkanen (6’3”, 210 lbs.) is in his ninth NHL season and has scored 57 goals and earned 222 assists (279 points) in 525 career NHL regular-season games with Philadelphia, Edmonton and Carolina.