As Florida draws closer to the start of its season, the Panthers have assigned seven players to Charlotte - forwards Aleksi Heponiemi, Logan Hutsko, Gerry Mayhew and Chris Tierney, defensemen Michael Del Zotto and Lucas Carlsson and goalie Alex Lyon.

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Heponiemi, 23, led the Checkers in assists last season with 30 helpers and 39 points in 56 games. A second-round pick by Florida in 2017, Heponiemi has posted 59 points (12g, 47a) in 111 career AHL games and three points (1g, 2a) in 15 NHL appearances with Florida - six of which came last season. He also posted 46 points (16g, 30a) in 50 Liiga games in his home country of Finland before starting his North American pro career.

Hutsko, 23, notched 38 points (10g, 28a) in 71 games as a rookie for Charlotte last season. A third-round selection by Florida in 2018, Hutsko posted 101 points (41g, 60a) in 114 games over a four-year career at Boston College prior to turning pro.

Mayhew, 29, is heading into his sixth pro season having compiled 194 points (106g, 88a) in 252 career AHL games with Iowa and Lehigh Valley and 15 points (13g, 2a) in 57 NHL games with Minnesota, Philadelphia and Anaheim. An undrafted product of Ferris State, Mayhew led the AHL in goals in 2019-20 and was named league MVP.

Tierney, 28, is slated to begin his ninth pro season with 226 points (73g, 153a) in 561 career NHL games under his belt. A second-round pick by San Jose in 2012, the Ontario native also has 32 points (9g, 23a) in 31 AHL games - the most recent of which came in 2015-16.

Del Zotto, 32, has 736 NHL games to his name - recording 262 total points (63g, 199a) while suiting up for the New York Rangers, Nashville, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Anaheim, St. Louis, Columbus and Ottawa. The blue liner spent part of last season with Belleville and racked up 27 points (10g, 17a) in 26 games - giving him a career total of 34 points (10g, 24a) in 37 AHL contests.

Carlsson, 25, appeared in Charlotte last season - notching six points (1g, 5a) in eight games - but spent the majority of the year with the Panthers, posting nine points (3g, 6a) in 40 games. That puts his career total at 11 points (3g, 8a) in 58 NHL contests with Chicago and Florida to go along with 77 points (18g, 59a) in 143 AHL games with Rockford, Syracuse and Charlotte. The Swedish defenseman also spent four seasons with Brynas IF Gavle of the SHL before heading to North America - logging 38 points (14g, 24a) in 136 games.

Lyon, 29, is heading into his seventh season and coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw him capture the AHL’s Hap Holmes Award and win a Calder Cup with Chicago. The netminder has amassed a 93-61-26 record in 179 AHL games with a goals-against average of 2.65 and a .913 save percentage - as well as 24 NHL appearances for the Flyers and Hurricanes.

Additionally, the Checkers have released Oliver Chau and Kobe Roth from their camp tryouts.

Charlotte's current camp roster can be found here. The Checkers kick off the 2022-23 season this Friday when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack.