Pittsburgh centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have been racking up points.

Malkin leads the NHL in points with 11. He has nine assists and two goals in the Penguins’ first seven games.

Crosby is ranked ninth in NHL points. He only has a goal, but he also has nine assists.

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. 

Only the Buffalo Sabres (five) had more players at Canada's junior evaluation camp this week than the Hurricanes (three).

Brandon Sutter, Chris Terry and Zach Boychuk all attended the four-day camp in Ottawa, although Boychuk was unable to participate in the on-ice activites because of his recent wrist surgery.

UPDATE, 1:40 p.m.: The Canes are in negotiations with Drayson Bowman, who will attend Team USA's camp next week, on an entry-level contract.

Zac Dalpe paid his own way to this week’s prospect conditioning camp as an Ohio State recruit, to maintain his eligibility per NCAA rules. But he admits his mind isn’t fully made up yet.

The update Dalpe's tug-of-war between Ohio State and Plymouth (OHL) was one of several interesting notes from Wednesday's first day of Carolina's prospect conditioning camp.

Don't forget: The on-ice portion of this week's prospect conditioning camp starts at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at the RecZone.

They'll be out there Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well. That group includes Brandon Sutter, Jamie McBain, Zach Boychuk and seven others who will get a crash course in Canes trainer Pete Friesen's lofty fitness expectations.

Michael Leighton is also a possibility to participate, harkening back to a different goalie at a different prospect conditioning camp. In August 2001, after taking a year off of hockey, a 36-year-old Tom Barrasso celebrated his return to the NHL by outrunning a bunch of kids almost 20 years his junior on the track at Cardinal Gibbons.

The previously posted RecZone ice times for next week's prospect conditioning camp have been changed.

Carolina's prospects will now be on the ice from 4:45-5:45 p.m. each day, Wednesday through Saturday.

Fans can get a look at four of the Hurricanes' blue-chip prospects during their annual conditioning camp, which starts next week and runs through July 12.

Brandon Sutter, the Hurricanes' first-round pick in 2007 and their expected fourth-line center this season, headlines a group that also includes Wisconsin defenseman Jamie McBain, 2008 first-round pick Zach Boychuk and 2008 second-round pick Zac Dalpe.

Ryan Bayda, Wade Brookbank and Tim Conboy have all re-signed, Bayda and Brookbank for one year each and Conboy for two.

It looks like Carolina's plan to get bigger on the fourth line ended up where the Canes ended the season, with the AHL call-ups locking down roles.

(updated, 6:14 p.m.)

A few years ago, most NHL teams wouldn't have considered Zach Boychuk as a first-round pick. At 5-9 1/2, only three of the top 140 North American skaters measured shorter.

But it's a new NHL and Boychuk is the newest member of the Carolina Hurricanes. After two defensemen the Canes considered went with the 12th and 13th picks, the Canes held onto the 14th pick and took a forward from the Western Hockey League for the second straight year.