CHARLOTTE, NC—Charlotte Checkers general manager and head coach Derek Wilkinson announced today that the team has claimed former team captain Mike Harder off waivers from the Trenton Devils. In 22 games with Trenton this season, he had three goals and 13 assists.

Harder, 36, is a veteran of 13 professional seasons and played for the Checkers in 2004-05, Wilkinson’s first full season as head coach. He was appointed as captain that season and registered 12 goals and 31 assists in 42 games.

The 6-foot, 180-pound center from Winnipeg, Manitoba has spent the last four seasons in the Italian League, where he led Alleghe HC in scoring three out of the four years.

In 598 career games, Harder has 192 goals and 351 assists while playing in the American Hockey League, International Hockey League, ECHL, Italian League and the Finnish, Swedish and German Elite Leagues. He helped the Frankfurt Lions capture the German Elite League championship in 2004 and the Hartford Wolf Pack to the 1999-2000 Calder Cup. In Hartford, Harder was teammates with current Checkers assistant coach Jason Dawe.

Harder will join the Checkers in Florida for tonight’s game.

The Checkers (12-6-2-0) will continue their five-game road trip tonight in Florida and will return to Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 16 to host South Carolina. Game time is 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com

Notes: Randy Rowe has nine points (5g, 4a) in six games since being activated off injured reserve…Daniel Tkaczuk has 18 points (6g, 12a) in 12 games since joining the team…T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 94 penalty minutes and 10 fighting majors and leads the Checkers with a +12 rating…Derek Couture remains on loan to Hartford, Matt Ford remains with Lake Erie (AHL) and defenseman Ethan Graham is with Norfolk (AHL)…Trevor Glass and Aaron Slattengren are on the 21-day injured reserve.