Former Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill had a goal to help the Red top the White 6-3 in a team scrimmage today at the RBC Center, but he was overshadowed by another 30something free-agent getting a tryout with the Canes.

Dan LaCouture had two goals and an assist in the first two periods as the Red took a 4-2 lead. O'Neill's goal came four minutes into the third period and made it 5-2.

For all the talk about the Canes replacing injured forward Justin Williams, and how it could affect the lines, what about the defensive combinations?

Newcomer Joni Pitkanen seems set with Tim Gleason. Another defensive combination likely could be Niclas Wallin and Joe Corvo. 

The third? Could be Anton Babchuk and Josef Melichar. 

Goaltender Michael Leighton is slated to be Cam Ward’s backup this season, but he will be hard-pressed to match his performance for the Albany River Rats in the AHL playoffs last season.

His 98 saves, in a 3-2 five-overtime loss to Philadelphia, was believed to be a league record.

“It was disappointing we lost the game but looking back, it’s pretty exciting to be a part of something like that,” Leighton said. “It might be a long time before it ever happens again. I kept the stick and I’m in the process of getting one of the game sheets from the AHL to put on my wall.

“It’s probably something that will never happen to me again: 98 saves.”

Rod Brind’Amour was seen in the training room icing down his left knee as camp got underway at the RBC Center this morning. The Canes captain had his knee scoped this week to repair a cartilage tear.

Brind’Amour insisted he would be back soon and Rutherford said it’s possible he could play in a couple of preseason games.

The Canes took the ice this morning at the RBC Center for their first training camp practice sessions. Among the missing: David Tanabe.

General manager Jim Rutherford recently said the defenseman was obligated to be at training camp as a player under contract.

Tanabe missed much of last season with an apparent concussion and still not been ruled healthy enough to play by doctors.

The Canes sought to buy out Tanabe’s contract but a grievance was filed by the NHLPA because of his injury. Rutherford said today that an arbitration hearing will be held in Washington, D.C., to resolve the issue. The date has not been set, but the hearing probably will be mid-October, Rutherford said

“Either rule that he’s a roster player and he’s injured, and he reports for rehab and hopefully we can get him healthy and play again, or rule he’s a player who can be bought out,” Rutherford said. “That’s all we ask.”

Tanabe is due to be paid $900,000 this year.

The Hurricanes opened training camp today with player physicals and will be in full practice mode tomorrow morning. After three weeks of camp and six preseason games, the Canes begin the regular season Oct. 10.

All of which begs the question: is camp too long, with too many exhibition games? General manager Jim Rutherford, for one, thinks so.

"If I was the sole person making the decision, I’d have a 10-day training camp," Rutherford says. "These guys are in great shape year-round, so they don’t have to come to camp to get in shape. A 10-day camp, two preseason games and start."

Defenseman Anton Babchuk is back with the Hurricanes after playing last season for Avangard Omsk in the Russian Superliga, signing a one-year, $1 million NHL contract.

During the 2006-2007 season, Babchuk was briefly suspended by the Hurricanes when he refused an assignment with the AHL's Albany River Rats. He relented and reported to Albany, and was later recalled by the Canes. But after the season, the Kiev native left for Omsk.

Here's what Babchuk had to say this week.

Jeff O'Neill was once Justin Williams' teammate on the Hurricanes, and O'Neill has enjoyed being around Williams the last few weeks in informal workouts at the RecZone.

O'Neill came back for a tryout with the Canes, hoping to win a roster spot on his old team. The last thing O'Neill could have expected would be to go into training camp trying to replace an injured Williams.

"He's one of the guys I've known here and one of the guys I've gotten close to since I've been here," O'Neill said today. "It's tough to see a guy who has put so much effort into it, considering last year he got hurt as well.

"It's a devastation here. You're so excited to get back on the ice, then that happens. It could happen to any of us. Just a freak accident and you've got to move on."

Chad LaRose knew it was bad. Very bad.

The Hurricanes forward was working out Wednesday with teammate Justin Williams, getting in some off-ice exercises, when ...

"I was right next to him. He just stopped and there was a big pop," LaRose said today. "We all heard it — a big pop."

The Hurricanes suffered a big blow today when forward Justin Williams tore his right Achilles tendon, requiring surgery.

Williams, who suffered the injury in an off-ice workout this morning, is expected to be out four to six months. The seven-year veteran missed much of last season with a serious knee injury.

"It's certainly a setback for us," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "We were looking forward to Justin having a big year. This doesn't mean he won't be a part of it. He can come back for the most important part of it."