Ruutu doubtful for Kings game
LOS ANGELES -- The plan was for rookie forward Zach Boychuk to make his NHL debut Friday against the Los Angeles Kings, and to play on a line with Matt Cullen and Patrick Eaves.
But that may have changed today when Tuomo Ruutu left the ice early in the Canes' workout at the Toyota Center. Ruutu, who only skated for a few minutes, has been slowed by an injury that's related to the groin pull that kept him out of much of preseason training camp.
Ruutu said he hoped to get through practice but that there was too much soreness.
"Right now, he's day to day," Canes coach Peter Laviolette said after the workout at the Kings' practice rink. "He's probably doubtful (for the Kings' game.)"
With Ruutu in the lineup, Laviolette appeared set to put Boychuk on Cullen's line with Eaves. But if Ruutu is out, Laviolette said while Boychuk will play, he may to have to reconfigure the lines.
"I may have gone down that road but I'm not sure because (Ruutu) is not there," Laviolette said. "That was the plan that was in place. Ten minutes into practice, I think the plan may have changed.
"What's going to have to change is someone is going to have to go there and play with (Eric) Staal. Whether it's a winger or you put (Matt) Cullen up there ... I'll think about it and have a better direction on it (Friday)."...
The lines for most of practice:
Chad LaRose, Eric Staal, Ray Whitney.
Sergei Samsonov, Rod Brind'Amour, Ryan Bayda.
Wade Brookbank, Brandon Sutter, Dan LaCouture.
Eaves, Cullen, Boychuk.
Before practice, nearly everyone was passing around the news about Blackhawks coach Denis Savard being fired today after four games -- and after win over Phoenix on Wednesday night. There were a lot of you've-got-to-be-kidding looks and comments. ...
Defensively:
Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason.
Frantisek Kaberle, Joe Corvo.
Niclas Wallin, Dennis Seidenberg.
Anton Babchuk, Josef Melichar.
About the blogger
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is in his second season as the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at chip.alexander@newsobserver.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @ice_chip.
Comments
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lines
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 13:42 — Anonymous (not verified)first - put lacouture on with staal: move larose down
second - is ruutu going to be another tanabe? he seems to always be just a little bit hurt
third - re tanabe, good riddance
The canes entire problem...
Fri, 10/24/2008 - 16:09 — Anonymous (not verified)Lets face it, if Staal only has Larose to play with, you have problems.
Put some talent on the line or lines and see what happens.
Cullen should be 1st or second line with Staal, Brindamour, Whits and Boychuck.....holy cow, this team sucks.....I don't have a 6th player......
go oilers,
Bob
The lines should be like
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 11:27 — Anonymous (not verified)The lines should be like this,
zach, staal, whitney
sergei, rod, ryan
cullen, sutter, dan
chad, eaves, brookbank
Wallin?
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 08:43 — Anonymous (not verified)we need to be playing babchuk and melichar some, rotate them in.
Sorry but the Canes
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 07:42 — RG (not verified)Sorry but the Canes continuing to lose top flight players up front is going to come back to bite sooner rather than later. Basically now you have three guys from your Top 9 forwards out of the lineup, Staal already logging tons of extra minutes, fourth line guys being pressed into top line action...this is a recipe for disaster. JR needs to realize that he needs to bring in a Top 9 forward that is a proven NHL guy that can help now and down the road. Williams will be out 40 to 50 games, Ruutu and Whitney have a history of groin problems that will see them miss games, it's time to replace one of those extra defenseman with a forward now!
The Canes are in major
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 05:21 — Anonymous (not verified)The Canes are in major trouble and the season has only begun. They are already injured badly... although Samsonov is playing, I would bet his leg still isnt 100% since getting hit with the puck. Same with Brindy. Ruutu, Williams are out. Walker will be sorely missed out West where the Canes are going to get tested physically. I hate to say it but with all these small guys playing (Boychuk, Bayda, Larose, Sutter) I only see more injuries. Brookbank needs to lay down the law and do it right... no more bear hugs and wrestling on the ground. He has to know that Gillies is riding close behind him...
Looking forward to seeing
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 23:06 — Anonymous (not verified)Looking forward to seeing Zach for the 1st time, no matter what line he's on! I like that they're trying to see what he can do alongside some talented players.
You could make a pretty
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 20:04 — caneshockeyfanYou could make a pretty solid line out of the injured Canes forwards.
Thanks for the update Chip,
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 17:22 — Anonymous (not verified)Thanks for the update Chip, any news on Ruutu apart from his absence again at practice? - did he make the trip out west?
Umm, Didn't you read the
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 16:08 — Anonymous (not verified)Umm, Didn't you read the by-line? The story was filed from LA and Ruutu had to leave practice yesterday, so unless the Canes put him on a jet back to Raleigh, he is with the team out West.
Ruutu's in L.A.
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 07:15 — canesfanatic (not verified)He practiced at the Toyota Center- which is the Kings practice facility- and that would be in L.A.
Amazing how Chad LaRose goes
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 16:16 — ant (not verified)Amazing how Chad LaRose goes from "He's asking too much money!" to practicing on the first line with Eric Staal & Ray Whitney.
he's only playing up there
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 08:42 — Anonymous (not verified)he's only playing up there after walker, williams and rutuu are injured. he's not terrible, but he's, in reality, a 3rd or 4th liner.
he was "asking too much money" only because he filed for arbitration since they werent meeting in the middle... not a crazy thing to have happen. eventually they did and hes getting paid what both he and the team feel he is worth.
lets move on from this, and get over it.
Rosie's Step Up- to Ant
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 07:03 — esteban1949I agree with ya 100% and If Zach can come through...well we could have a win...now if we can only stay out of the BOX...
Go Canes !
Zach
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 20:30 — Duncan (not verified)Is their a worst 1st line winger in the NHL than Chad L?Are you kidding me. Give the Rookie a shot. I guess Peter has had enough of watching Eaves on the 1st line. He's not the only one.....
Stahl and Whitney need a
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 04:34 — Anonymous (not verified)Stahl and Whitney need a grinder on the line. Chad is a grinder, albeit a small one. Boychuck isn't, especially in his first game.
Coaches Merry-Go-Round
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 15:44 — JustListenenThe coaching merry-go-round turns ... and turns ... and turns.
It's not if you're a good or bad coach ... it's "what have you done for us lately"
Coaches know when they are hired that it is only a matter of time until they get fired. A few years ago in the NHL, the league "coach of the year" was fired the next year.
Those should...
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 15:31 — esteban1949Those Line set ups should work...and hopefully we can get a win...and not lose Our Coach like the Chicago Blackhawks did...they fired him just after getting their first win...see even with contracts...nobodies jobs are secure are they ?
Thanks Chip for the info...
Go Canes !!