DeCock:This season started with missed opportunities, porous defense and early goals allowed. Fortunately for the Hurricanes, what came next was an improvement.

Rod Brind'Amour remains the Hurricanes' captain, but Eric Staal is learning fast on the job as the captain-in-waiting.

Opening night in the National Hockey League is all about new beginnings. A new season, with all its possibilities. New faces in the locker room. New hope.

DeCock: After letting Peter Laviolette dangle for more than a month after the season, Jim Rutherford made sure to underline the coach's job security long before this season ever started.

The Canes have three games in four nights to start the season. Captain Rod Brind'Amour is eager for them all, despite recently recovering from surgery.

Veterans know what it takes to win Stanley Cup, but Carolina must reach postseason first.

Here are five key issues for the Hurricanes this season.

Carolina Hurricanes rookie Zach Boychuk apparently is a fast healer.

One thing about Zach Boychuk: the kid apparently is a quick healer.

See a video of NHL director of officiating Stephen Walkom going over the points of emphasis for referees and linesmen this season.

Carolina Hurricanes' general manager Jim Rutherford is ordering up sweeping changes in the team's strength and conditioning program.

The Carolina Hurricanes have suspended forward Matt Murley for leaving the team's minor-league affiliate without approval to play in Russia.

The Canes have announced the 23-player active roster for the opening of the 2008-09 season. The NHL requires teams submit their season-opening rosters by Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford, concerned about his team's run of injuries in recent seasons, has instructed strength and conditioning coach Pete Friesen to make sweeping changes to the off-season conditioning regimen for the players.

Canes winger Chad LaRose moves up to third line to try to fill in for Scott Walker, who underwent surgery Monday to repair a ligament in his left hand.

Just when the Carolina Hurricanes appeared to be getting healthy, they've lost another player to injury. Veteran forward Scott Walker will be out six weeks after undergoing surgery Monday for a torn ligament in his left hand.

Rod Brind'Amour wanted more minutes. Ray Whitney wanted the puck, and Cam Ward refused to let one go past him.

It wasn't the way Tuomo Ruutu wanted to spend most of the Carolina Hurricanes' training camp. Not off the ice, in the treatment room.

Where's Tuomo Ruutu? For much of the Hurricanes' training camp, that has been a big question among Canes fans. The answer: recovering from a groin pull, the forward said today.

It may be the man behind the mask -- the one with "WARDO" on it -- that determines whether the Canes reach the Stanley Cup playoffs this season or spend a third straight spring lining up tee times.

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed their first-round draft choice, forward Zach Boychuk.

Rod Brind'Amour has been medically cleared and should play — albeit limited action — in the Canes' final exhibition game, Sunday against Nashville.

The Carolina Hurricanes' roster continues to thin out, getting ever closer to the final 23 players. And Trevor Gillies is still around, still in training camp, still fighting for a spot.

Zach Boychuk, the Carolina Hurricanes' first-round draft choice this year, said he is close to signing an entry-level contract with the team.

Zach Boychuk, the Canes' first-round draft choice, said he is close to signing an entry-level contract with the team.

Strong start, scary finish. But for the Carolina Hurricanes, it all added up to a victory.

For Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Niclas Wallin, the timing wasn't good. Not that he could help it.

For Niclas Wallin, the timing couldn't have been worse. The Canes have a glut of defensemen and some tough decisions to make on a regular-season roster, and Wallin has been sidelined since suffering a concussion in the first preseason game against the Washington Capitals.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Michael Leighton might have ended up in Russia.

Canes captain underwent arthroscopic surgery Sept. 16.

Scott Walker's left hand was heavily taped Tuesday, and everyone in the Carolina Hurricanes' locker room knew why.

Thomas Thewes, co-owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, has died after battling leukemia for two years, team president and general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday.