Veteran forward Scott Walker will be out six weeks after undergoing surgery Monday for a torn ligament in his left hand.

General manager Jim Rutherford said Walker injured the hand Sept. 28 during a fight with Philadelphia Flyers' Nate Guenin after Guenin's blindside hit on the Canes' Matt Cullen.

Walker, whose left hand was heavily taped last week, had more than 15 1/2 minutes of ice time Sunday as the Hurricanes finished the exhibition schedule with a 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators.

"It was sore, but he tried to play with it," Rutherford said. "He knew he'd probably need an operation, but he was hoping to play through the season because he knew our situation."

The Canes have lost forward Justin Williams for four to six months with an Achilles tendon tear. Center Rod Brind'Amour missed most of training camp after knee surgery Sept. 16, and wingers Tuomo Ruutu and Ray Whitney have been slowed by injuries.

Brind'Amour and Whitney returned for Sunday's game against the Predators, and Whitney scored the winning goal. Ruutu has rejoined practice and may play in the season-opener Friday against the Florida Panthers.

Later Monday, the team announced it had signed forward Dan LaCouture to a one-year contract that will pay LaCouture $475,000 on the NHL level or $50,000 on the American Hockey League level. It guarantees him at least $75,000 this season.

LaCouture, 31, has played in 326 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, totaling 18 goals and 25 assists and 338 penalty minutes. After playing last season in a Swiss league, he was invited to the Canes' camp for a tryout.

Even as he survived roster cuts, LaCouture said he tried to keep thoughts of a securing a contract out of his mind.

"I didn't want to get discombobulated," he said. "I just came to the rink and concentrated on what I had to do on the ice to earn a spot on this team. Just try to prove I can play in the NHL."

Ron Francis, assistant general manager and director of player development, said LaCouture came to camp in "great physical condition" and earned a contract.

"He is an experienced, veteran player with good speed and size and is capable of contributing on the NHL level," Francis said.

Rutherford said the team was looking at options including a trade for a top-line forward or possibly calling up a player such as Matt Murley from the Albany River Rats, the Hurricanes' American Hockey League affiliate.

"The market is so hard to read right now," Rutherford said of a possible trade. "We're not going to make a trade just to make a trade. If we feel a player could help our team now and help us get into the playoffs, we'll look at it.

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