Hurricanes assign Sutter to Albany

alb06_200.jpgThe Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has assigned center Brandon Sutter to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League.

Sutter will spend up to two weeks with the Hurricanes’ top minor-league affiliate on a conditioning stint, and is eligible for Albany’s game tonight at Bridgeport.

Sutter, 20, is in his first full professional season, and has notched one goal and earned five assists (six points) in 50 games with the Hurricanes.

The Huntington, N.Y., native joined Carolina this season after completing his junior hockey career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League in 2007-08. Sutter (6-foot-3, 183 lbs.) scored 68 goals and earned 86 assists (154 points) in 205 career regular-season games with Red Deer, before joining Albany for the end of the 2007-08 regular season and the River Rats’ playoff series against the Philadelphia Phantoms.

Carolina drafted Sutter in the first round, 11th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.