After losing a pair of defensemen to recall earlier in the week, the Checkers have recalled Derek Sheppard from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.

Presented by First National Bank
The 24-year-old leads all Florida blue liners and ranks fifth on the team overall with 30 points (11g, 19a) in 45 games this season. Sheppard inked an AHL contract with Charlotte earlier this season and has appeared in six games for the Checkers, logging an assist and 19 penalty minutes along the way.

The addition of Sheppard provides some insurance on the Charlotte blue liner after both Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean were recalled to Carolina on an emergency basis. The Checkers now have seven options on defense heading into a two-game series with Binghamton this weekend, though Roland McKeown - who was a full participant in Thursday's practice - remains day-to-day with an injury.