I just received this from Hurricanes Communications Director Ryan Ohashi. Luca will be meeting with media Friday and will be in the line-up when the Canes' host Seattle:
Lethbridge, AB – Coming off a big come from behind win Sunday over the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Lethbridge Hurricanes will be adding some serious firepower to their back end as defenseman Luca Sbisa will be returning to the club. Sbisa was reassigned to the Canes this past week by the Anaheim Ducks and has now played a total of 47 NHL games and made his NHL playoff debut last season with the Flyers before being dealt to the Ducks along with Joffrey Lupul in the Chris Pronger trade.
During his career in Lethbridge Sbisa was a force on the blue line. In 80 regular season games he scored 48 points (10G, 38A) and had a +15 plus/minus rating and 82 PIMs. He also proved himself as a playoff performer In 30 WHL Playoff games he scored 18 points (5G, 13A) a +8 plus/minus and 29 PIMs, leading all WHL d-men in scoring in the 08 playoffs. He was one of two CHL Import Draft picks the Hurricanes made in 2007, the first was Finnish goaltender Juha Metsola. Sbisa went from being relatively unknown to being ranked in the Top 20 of North American Players by Central Scouting for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Sbisa has also represented his home country of Switzerland in the 2008 IIHF U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships and was a member of Team Red at the 2008 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game. He was the recipient of the 2007-2008 Carl Trentini Memorial Award for the Hurricanes rookie of the year and was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Sbisa signed an entry level NHL contract that fall and began the season as a member of the Flyers where he played 39 NHL games before being returned to the Canes in early February and joining the Ducks during this past off season.
Sbisa will be returning to Lethbridge tomorrow night and is expected to suit up for the Canes Friday night matchup with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Thanks,
Pat
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wow!!!!Great news. Luca is a great player, and even a better person. The Canes are so lucky to have him back. Now we don't have to use forwards as D-men on the PP.
ReplyDeleteIF its true that Luca (or his agent) want out of Lethbridge, then Mem-cup host and contender Brandon Wheat Kings should be willing to pay a fair price to get him. Here's a trade that makes sense to me for both.
ReplyDelete(D) Sbisa (47 games NHL experience/90),
much improved (D) Mestery (90),
and power forward Henke (90)
to Wheaties for...
Brandon's (D) Robak (90) OR
(D) Schneider (90),
(D) Erhardt (92),
(F) Mark Stone (injured/92),
(F) Klarc Wilson (93) or a conditional 1st round pick in 2010 bantam draft,
A conditional 2nd round pick in 2011. (Conditions based on Mem-cup outcome)
Shall we write it up? - Richie