The Ducks have traded Ryan Carter to the Carolina Hurricanes for minor-league forwards Matt Kennedy and Stefan Chaput. Kennedy and Chaput were both playing for the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, and can expect to report to the Syracuse Crunch.

Carter, who cleared waivers for the second time this year Tuesday morning, had one goal, two assists and 22 penalty minutes in 18 games for the Ducks. Carter was one of six Ducks (Selanne, Getzlaf, Perry, Marchant, Parros) remaining from the 2007 Stanley Cup championship team.

Kennedy, a fifth-round draft pick by Carolina in 2009, had one assist and six penalty minutes in eight games for the Checkers. A fifth-round pick by Carolina in 2006, Chaput had three assists and nine penalty minutes in 20 games for the Checkers.

Kennedy, 21, has already played for the Syracuse Crunch. Following his stellar 19-year-old junior season of 2008-09, Kennedy had a four-game tryout at the end of the season with the Crunch, during which he scored one goal.

But Kennedy returned to the Ontario Hockey League for an overage season and could not replicate the success of his 33-goal, 73-point campaign for the Guelph Storm. Guelph traded Kennedy to the Barrie Colts at midseason and he finished with 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists) in 43 games. The season was marred by a concussion, the fifth of Kennedy’s young career.

Still, after a strong playoffs for Barrie (nine goals, 15 points in 17 games), the Hurricanes signed Kennedy to a three-year, entry-level contract in May.

Chaput, 22, has also been hit with injuries during his three professional seasons. He played just 15 games for the AHL’s Albany River Rats in 2008-09, his first professional season, before suffering a season-ending hip injury in December 2008. In an interview with hockeysfuture.com, Chaput said the root of the problem was degeneration in the hip bone which led to a torn labrum.

He came back to play the full 2009-10 season, posting 10 goals and 38 points in 75 games for Albany.