from Ben Pope of the News & Observer,

Oft-suspended enforcer Raffi Torres will join the Carolina Hurricanes during training camp on a professional tryout agreement, the team confirmed Tuesday.

The 6-foot, 215-pound winger turns 35 in early October and brings an experienced resume to Raleigh, having played in 635 career games for seven different teams. But he’s appeared in only 44 over the last four seasons combined due to injuries and a number of suspensions.

After being suspended four times between 2011 and 2013 — including a 21-game ban for a late hit that knocked Chicago’s Marian Hossa out of the 2013 playoffs — Torres was suspended for the entire first half of the 2015-16 season for a hit to the head of Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg during a preseason game. The incident prompted many to call for a lifetime ban of the then-San Jose Sharks forward and the Sharks sent Torres to the AHL after his 41-game suspension ended.

News of the PTO agreement, which broke Monday before being confirmed Tuesday, sent shockwaves through the fanbase as fans expressed dismay and concern on social media.

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