Ruutu slowly rehabbing injury

RALEIGH -- 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.

But a pulled groin muscle has been slow to heal, the forward said Sunday. One has to be careful with such injuries, he noted.

"I never had a problem going out there too late but I have had problems going too early or working too hard when I'm not supposed to," Ruutu said. "I didn't want to go out, tweak it again and go back to square one."

Ruutu did get on the ice for a short workout Sunday morning, hours before the Canes' final preseason game against Nashville. He was skating well, firing shots.

"I felt pretty good," he said. "It's been frustrating. I'd rather be out there [on the ice] than riding the bike."

Ruutu played in 17 games last season with the Canes after coming to Carolina in a late- February trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, finishing with 11 points. With Justin Williams out with an Achilles tendon tear, Ruutu should shoulder a bigger load.

"I really feel bad for Justin and for the team. He's a great player," Ruutu said. "I have been injured before in seasons, and I can only imagine how he feels.

"Obviously, we have to move on. Individually I'll try to do my best."

BIG TRYOUT: Dan LaCouture came in with little fanfare and minimum media attention. Most of that was focused on Jeff O'Neill.

Like O'Neill, LaCouture was an unsigned free agent who was invited to camp to try out. Both were forwards who were out of the NHL last season, although O'Neill was given an edge in that he was a former first-round pick of the Carolina franchise and once a goal-scoring star for the Canes.

But O'Neill gave it up last week. LaCouture continued to play on and is called a "bubble player" by general manager Jim Rutherford, meaning he could win a roster spot.

LaCouture, 31, came into camp in terrific physical condition, having healed a right shoulder that required surgery in January.

"The biggest thing is they gave me an opportunity, which is all I asked," he said. "I wanted to make the most of it. You don't always get a chance like that.

"I just wanted to come in with a great attitude and show them I would work as hard as I can to help this team. Whatever that is -- shooting, skating, banging, fighting, whatever it is -- I would do that if it will help my cause in making this team."

LaCouture, 31, has played in more than 300 NHL games with five different teams. He spent last season with Lugano of the Swiss-A league, but used some past connections with Rutherford and assistant coach Tom Rowe to get a camp tryout -- and another shot at the NHL.

"I've had a lot of time to think about my life, my situation, my career," he said. "I guess sitting at home, rehabbing, you really take a step back and think about where you've been and how much you miss that."