SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, on an emergency basis. 

 

Hutchinson, 28, has appeared in four games with Florida this season, owning a 1-1-2 record, 4.18 goals against average and .839 save percentage. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound native of Barrie, Ontario, has posted a 1-2-1 record over four games with Springfield, notching a 3.48 goals against average and .903 save percentage.

 

Over 106 career NHL games with Florida (2018-19) and Winnipeg (2013-14 to 2017-18), Hutchinson has registered a 44-40-13 record, 2.70 goals against average, .907 save percentage and three shutouts.

 

He was originally selected by Boston in the third round (77th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.

 

In separate transactions, the Panthers also announced that defenseman Josh Brown has been loaned to Springfield, and additionally, the Thunderbirds announced the recall of goaltender Chris Driedger from the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL.

 

Brown has yet to play in a game this season but skated in 66 games last season for Springfield, registering 10 points (1g, 9a) and 67 penalty minutes in that time.

 

Driedger has played in four games thus far with Springfield, registering a 2-1-1 record with a .906 save percentage and 3.19 goals against average. In five games with the Monarchs, the 24-year-old goaltender is 3-2-0 with a .902 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average.

 

Up next on Saturday, the T-Birds get their first game of the season against the Syracuse Crunch. Syracuse has been one of the hottest teams in the AHL of late, going 7-0-1-0 in their last eight contests entering the weekend. The Crunch had started the season with a record of just 2-5-0-0 in their first seven games. Veteran Cory Conacher has led the way with 20 points in just 11 games for Syracuse.

 

The weekend concludes with another visit to Bridgeport, and the Thunderbirds will look to atone for a 5-2 loss on Nov. 3, which at the time was Springfield's first regulation loss of the season. Defenseman Devon Toews has paced the offense for the upstart Sound Tigers with 17 points in 18 games played. The Sound Tigers begin the weekend sitting four points ahead of Springfield in the Atlantic Division standings, but with the Thunderbirds holding three games in hand.

 

Springfield Thunderbirds fans are encouraged to visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com to learn more about 2018-19 Thunderbirds Season Ticket Memberships. Packages include a wide range of benefits, including the lowest prices for the 2019 Lexus AHL All-Star Classic presented by MGM Springfield. For more information or to order now, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.