Hurricanes trading Gauthier for Keane will hurt the Checkers’ scoring in playoff push

Coach Ryan Warsofsky made it clear last weekend that the Charlotte Checkers remain a work in progress after they lost a pair of one-goal games at home.

And that point was amplified Tuesday, when the Checkers’ leading goal-scorer was traded.

The Carolina Hurricanes traded forward Julien Gauthier to the New York Rangers on Tuesday for defenseman Joey Keane. It was an exchange of young prospects who are likely to spend most of the remainder of the season helping the organizations’ AHL affiliates.

While Keane is expected to provide the Checkers with some back-line scoring, Gauthier gives an offensive boost to the Rangers’ AHL team in Hartford, which is second in the AHL Atlantic Division. Charlotte is fourth in the Atlantic.

First, what was lost: Gauthier, 22, scored 26 goals this season for Charlotte, fourth in the league. He had 69 goals in parts of three Checkers seasons, which ranks third in franchise history.

In Keane, the Checkers and Hurricanes gain a 20-year-old prospect who knows how to score.

Keane, a third-round draft pick of the Rangers in 2018, had eight goals and 22 assists this season for Hartford. He played in the AHL All-Star Classic last month.

“Joey is a right-handed offensive-minded defenseman,” Carolina Hurricanes’ general manager Don Waddell said. “His ability to produce at the AHL level at 20 years old is encouraging, and we believe he has a bright future.”

He joins a Charlotte team that has spent the week being schooled on consistency, according to its coach.

“We’ve got a lot to work on,” Warsofsky said after last weekend’s game. “I know it’s February, but we still have a lot to work on. Finding our consistency will be a topic of discussion this week.”

Here’s a look at the past week, and what lies ahead for the Checkers:

Saturday: The Checkers lost at home, 4-3 in overtime, to the Springfield Thunderbirds, before a full house of 8,355 at Bojangles’ Coliseum. Penalties were a big problem as Charlotte was short-handed six times. The last of those instances was in overtime, and the Thunderbirds capitalized with the winning goal.

Sunday: A nearly full house of 7,769 saw Charlotte fall 4-3 again to Springfield. Steve Lorentz scored a goal with 30 seconds left, making it close, but the Checkers suffered their first regulation-time loss in seven games.

The standings: Hershey leads the AHL Atlantic with 70 points (54 games). Holding down the other playoff spots are Hartford (68 points, 52 games), Providence (64 points, 53 games) and Charlotte (62 points, 51 games). Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are three points behind.

Week ahead: The Checkers launch a five-game road trip, playing Friday and Saturday at Binghamton. Then they visit Hershey in an important game Tuesday.

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle