Canes healthy, for a bit

Carolina just can't escape injury bug

RALEIGH -- For the first time in more than a month, the Carolina Hurricanes had their full lineup on the ice for practice Monday.

For 45 minutes, anyway.

That's when Erik Cole tumbled to the ice and somehow tweaked his sore neck, leaving practice.

"Typical," Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette said.

In Cole's case, his departure isn't thought to be a serious setback to his plans to return to action this week, perhaps when Carolina hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Rod Brind'Amour left practice early as well, but Laviolette said it was "precautionary," and Brind'Amour didn't miss any time in the weight room afterward.

The Canes got Andrew Ladd and Niclas Wallin back on the ice last weekend but still have not had a completely healthy lineup for any of their 21 games this season.

The good news is that Scott Walker practiced with the team Monday, wearing a no-contact yellow jersey, and survived.

From where he was two weeks ago, barely able to move because of the pain from his torn chest cartilage, this is significant progress.

"I feel like I can take a hit from the side and do all the stretching," Walker said. "I just don't know if I can take a hit straight on."

As for his potential return, is he ahead of schedule?

"Nobody knows what ahead is," Walker said. "They told me I'd probably be in some kind of discomfort for the rest of the year. ... I felt great out there. I want to get back as soon as I'm ready."