Team brings up Bayda, Aucoin to replace Walker, Cole
- They have injured themselves driving home from the rink, skating back to the bench and kicking around a soccer ball. It's hard to imagine what might come next for the Carolina Hurricanes.
For the short term, at least, they recalled Keith Aucoin and Ryan Bayda from Albany (AHL) on Sunday to fill the holes in the lineup tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, with Erik Cole, Andrew Ladd and Scott Walker all out for at least a week.
"They'll probably be here for a little while, the way things sound," Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said.
Ladd was on his way back from a twisted ankle when he reinjured it in practice Thursday. Walker suffered a chest injury presumed to be torn cartilage early in Friday's shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, then partially collapsed during the second period and remains in considerable pain.
And Cole hurt his foot -- an MRI exam Sunday indicated he suffered a sprain -- while playing soccer before Saturday's overtime loss to Philadelphia.
"I may have to take a scalpel to the soccer ball," Hurricanes defenseman Mike Commodore joked Sunday, although coach Peter Laviolette said he continues to endorse kicking the ball around as a way to warm up.
That's three top-nine forwards, accounting for four goals this season and 61 goals last season, and some giant holes to fill in Carolina's lineup.
"I think we're playing with enough depth," Laviolette said. "Obviously you'd like to have a full lineup and these are people at key positions. But we have good enough depth, and we'll not only get by but have the same expectations."
Cole is expected to miss 7 to 10 days, Rutherford said. Ladd is expected back at about the same time. Walker remains out indefinitely.
The Canes put Ladd and Walker on injured reserve.
"We'll have to give it time," Rutherford said of Walker. "We have to figure out exactly what it is. He's a guy who plays in a lot of pain, and he's in a lot of pain now. This one is probably going to take a while."
While the rash of injuries is bizarre, it's hardly unprecedented. The Hurricanes lost 267 man-games to injury while winning the Stanley Cup in 2005-06 -- on average, three players were out for each game -- and 250 last season. So far this season, they've lost 19 man-games in only eight games.
It's gotten so bad that even the minor leagues are feeling the pain. On the verge of being called up to Carolina, Aucoin took a shot off his ankle Saturday night.
Hurricanes assistant general manager Ron Francis stayed in Albany to watch practice Sunday and make sure Aucoin was OK.
- They have injured themselves driving home from the rink, skating back to the bench and kicking around a soccer ball. It's hard to imagine what might come next for the Carolina Hurricanes.
For the short term, at least, they recalled Keith Aucoin and Ryan Bayda from Albany (AHL) on Sunday to fill the holes in the lineup tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, with Erik Cole, Andrew Ladd and Scott Walker all out for at least a week.
"They'll probably be here for a little while, the way things sound," Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said.
Ladd was on his way back from a twisted ankle when he reinjured it in practice Thursday. Walker suffered a chest injury presumed to be torn cartilage early in Friday's shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, then partially collapsed during the second period and remains in considerable pain.
And Cole hurt his foot -- an MRI exam Sunday indicated he suffered a sprain -- while playing soccer before Saturday's overtime loss to Philadelphia.
"I may have to take a scalpel to the soccer ball," Hurricanes defenseman Mike Commodore joked Sunday, although coach Peter Laviolette said he continues to endorse kicking the ball around as a way to warm up.
That's three top-nine forwards, accounting for four goals this season and 61 goals last season, and some giant holes to fill in Carolina's lineup.
"I think we're playing with enough depth," Laviolette said. "Obviously you'd like to have a full lineup and these are people at key positions. But we have good enough depth, and we'll not only get by but have the same expectations."
Cole is expected to miss 7 to 10 days, Rutherford said. Ladd is expected back at about the same time. Walker remains out indefinitely.
The Canes put Ladd and Walker on injured reserve.
"We'll have to give it time," Rutherford said of Walker. "We have to figure out exactly what it is. He's a guy who plays in a lot of pain, and he's in a lot of pain now. This one is probably going to take a while."
While the rash of injuries is bizarre, it's hardly unprecedented. The Hurricanes lost 267 man-games to injury while winning the Stanley Cup in 2005-06 -- on average, three players were out for each game -- and 250 last season. So far this season, they've lost 19 man-games in only eight games.
It's gotten so bad that even the minor leagues are feeling the pain. On the verge of being called up to Carolina, Aucoin took a shot off his ankle Saturday night.
Hurricanes assistant general manager Ron Francis stayed in Albany to watch practice Sunday and make sure Aucoin was OK.
