CARY -- The Carolina Hurricanes made changes in preseason training camp this year with a big priority: Be healthy going into the season-opener.
"Knock on wood, that's how we're coming out of camp," Canes coach Paul Maurice said Monday. "There are other teams with five or six guys out with groin injuries, and that's a concern for them. We were able to come out of it healthy, and that was a real important thing for us."
The Canes, who open the regular season Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers, scheduled four preseason exhibition games after playing six last year. There also was less end-of-practice skating.
"We've had fewer injuries than we've had in the past," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "Time will tell whether four games works or not. We've haven't played a league game yet and don't know exactly how the team will come out of the gate.
"If it doesn't work the way it's worked so far, we'll make that adjustment and maybe play one or two more games next year. But to this point, for the reasons we did it -- to be fresher and healthier and with more preparation and practices -- I like the way camp has gone."
The Hurricanes roster is at 23 players after forward Brandon Sutter and defenseman Jamie McBain were assigned Sunday to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League. Rutherford said he still was not sure if the Canes would begin the season with a full 23-man roster.
"It will depend on how healthy guys are," he said. "We don't want to get in a position where guys are sitting around too much.
"If we feel we can keep guys playing in Albany ... it's probably better for them and better for us in the long run."
Defenseman Joni Pitkanen has missed almost all of camp after arthroscopic knee surgery for cartilage damage, an injury Pitkanen apparently suffered in an informal workout at the RecZone. Pitkanen worked out with the team at Friday's morning skate and should be good to go at today's practice, Rutherford said.
Still on the roster are defenseman Jay Harrison and Tim Conboy, who can be used on defense and at forward. Forward Michael Ryan, who suffered an apparent concussion in the Canes' third exhibition game, also remains on the roster.
"All the guys who are still here played pretty well," Rutherford said.
So did Sutter. But Rutherford and the coaching staff decided more playing time in Albany would best benefit the 20-year-old center, a former first-round draft pick who played 50 games for Carolina last year.
"The best way to look at Brandon is that even if we were to keep him here right now, and he certainly played well enough to be here, does it do him any good playing on the fourth line and does it prepare him to be the player and be in the position we want him to be?" Rutherford said. "The best preparation for him to become a No. 2 center is to be playing. So it's more about the development of where he should be slotted in on this team in the near future."
After mixing up lineups and losing the first two exhibition games, the Canes used a more veteran group and won the last two -- beating Atlanta 4-3 on Friday at the RBC Center, then winning 5-2 Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., over the Predators.
The Canes had Sunday off, and several played in the Kids 'N Community Foundation golf tournament Monday at Prestonwood Country Club. It's back to work today.
"I think we were a lot better in our last two games -- more focused and starting to see more the identity of our game," Maurice said. "The focus is coming. Three days of good practice and away we go."
