Canes sign Boychuk, who is battling injury

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

The question now: what next?

"We don't have any immediate plans for him, but we'll be making a decision in the next few days," general manager Jim Rutherford said Saturday. "We are excited to have him in our organization."

Boychuk, on his 19th birthday, signed a three-year, entry-level contract Saturday with the Hurricanes that will pay him $787,500 at the NHL level or $65,000 a season at the minor-league level. He also received a $262,500 signing bonus.

"I've had some good [birthday] presents in the past, but I don't know if any can top this one," said Boychuk, a native of Airdrie, Alberta, who was the 14th overall pick of the 2008 NHL draft.

What Boychuk would like to celebrate is winning a spot on the Hurricanes' roster. But surgery on his left wrist in July, followed by further surgery this past week, have limited his opportunities.

Boychuk, a left-handed shooter, first injured the wrist in the Western Hockey League playoffs while playing for the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He attended the Canes' prospects camp in July in Raleigh, then underwent surgery.

Boychuk was invited to training camp to watch and learn, but the wrist had healed to the point he soon was able to join practice, held out of contact work. He had a pin removed from his wrist this past week and said Saturday he might return to practice Oct. 13.

The Canes could keep Boychuk on the roster and play him in as many as nine NHL games, then send him back to junior hockey without the year counting against his contract. Or, they could keep him on the team.

"Unfortunately, the hand injury makes the decision tougher," Rutherford said. "He's an exciting player and we can see his skill level ... [but he] has not played in any preseason games, which makes the decision even tougher."

Needless to say, Boychuk would like to make the big leap now from junior to the NHL.

"If I get a chance to play, I'll do the best I can, play my game and show them I could play at the top level here and definitely create a hard decision for them to send me back to junior," he said.

NOTES: Rod Brind'Amour has been medically cleared and will be in the lineup, albeit for limited action, today in the final exhibition game against the Nashville Predators. The team captain missed the Canes' first five preseason games after knee surgery to repair cartilage damage.