It didn't take Canes general manager Jim Rutherford long to pull the trigger.

A day after saying some moves could be made, after saying a trade for a defenseman was being considered, the Canes worked a deal with the Calgary Flames that brought defenseman Ian White and forward Brett Sutter to Carolina for defenseman Anton Babchuk and forward Tom Kostopoulos.

"I made my first call to Calgary at the start of the season about Ian White," Rutherford said. "He's a player I've liked for a long time. ...It's heated up the last couple of weeks."

Asked if the Canes' recent 8-1 loss to Philadelphia and 7-2 loss to Montreal accelerated those plans, Rutherford said, "Darn right."

Emotionally charged or emotionally drained?

It's hard to say until the puck drops tonight how the Ottawa Senators will respond to a day filled with sorrow, to a day that must end for them with a hockey game.

The Senators were to have flown to Raleigh after playing Monday in Philadelphia. But a decision was made to return to Ottawa, where the team attended a Celebration of Life service today at Scotiabank Place to offer support to assistant coach Luke Richardson and his family.

Richardson's daughter, Daron, took her own life Saturday. Daron was 14 and her death was so shocking, so saddening. Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson told The Ottawa Citizen the decision to return for the service  was "the right thing to do and something we wanted to do."

For forward Patrick O'Sullivan, watching Canes games from the press box is absolutely the worst place to be.

For the last seven games, that's where O'Sullivan has been: up high in the arena, in a suit, watching, waiting -- a healthy scratch. But that will end this week, Canes coach Paul Maurice said today, as O'Sullivan will replace Jiri Tlusty in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Ottawa Senators at the RBC Center.

"I don't have any experience going through a situation like that, so it's been really frustrating," O'Sullivan said. "At the same time, I've worked as hard as I can and I feel good on the ice. I can definitely do all the skating drills there are in the world."

MONTREAL -- It's always nice for a lot of the Canes to bring their dads along for a road game. They go out to eat, they share a few laughs, they pose on the ice for a group photo at the morning skate. It's a memory-making moment.

But there appeared to be an underlying tension among the Canes' players today and it's understandable. That ugly 8-1 loss to the Flyers on Thursday still hangs over them like an angry dark cloud. Only playing, and winning, will change that and brighten the mood. Like tonight, against the Canadiens.

"We've been lacking the consistency in terms of committing to how we need to play the game to be successful," forward Erik Cole said after today's morning skate at the Bell Centre. "Especially in the last week it's been very glaring in the games we've played the way we should and in the games we haven't.

"I think our focus will be here tonight. We'll come ready to compete and work hard.

The Canes will have defenseman Joni Pitkanen back in the lineup tonight for the Edmonton Oilers.

Pitkanen, who has been sidelined the last two games with an upper-body injury, went through the morning skate, was checked out by medical personnel and given the thumb's up. Defenseman Brett Carson, an emergency call-up from Charlotte (AHL), was to be returned to the Checkers.

The Oilers are 4-6-2 but have beaten the Chicago Blackhawks twice in their last four games, both in Chicago. Edmonton won 7-4 on Oct. 29 and then 2-1 Sunday with a third-period comeback.

Canes coach Paul Maurice said today he expects no lineup changes for Tuesday's game against the Edmonton Oilers at the RBC Center.

Maurice still is not sure if defenseman Joni Pitkanen will be able to return from an upper-body injury, calling Pitkanen's status "day-to-day." Pitkanen, who has missed the last two games, was at practice today at the RBC Center but wearing a yellow, no-contact jersey.

"Joni's healing well and getting stronger," Maurice said. "There's a possibility for tomorrow but that decision's not getting made until everybody checks off on it. It will be tomorrow."

PHILADELPHIA  — Canes coach Paul Maurice wasn't sure until today's morning skate how his centermen might line up tonight.

Tuomo Ruutu has been bothered by a lower-body concern for a few games. Maurice wanted to take a good look at Ruutu at the skate before making any decisions about tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center.

But Ruutu was moving well and good to go. He'll again center the line with Jeff Skinner and Erik Cole.

"He feels better today than he has for the week," Maurice said of Ruutu. "Not skating yesterday helped."

PHILADELPHIA  — Jon Matsumoto couldn't have scripted it any better.

Matsumoto will be making his NHL debut tonight for the Carolina Hurricanes, and making it in the Wells Fargo Center, against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"I always wanted, and always thought my first (NHL) game would be in this building," he said after today's morning skate at the arena. "Turns out it will be."

With Sergei Samsonov healthy and Jiri Tlusty back from Charlotte after a conditioning stint, the Canes now have a surplus of forwards.

Coach Paul Maurice said today that Patrick O'Sullivan and Tlusty would be healthy scratches for tonight's home opener against the Washington Capitals. Maurice will keep the fourth line together with Pat Dwyer at center and Drayson Bowman and Zac Dalpe on the wings.

"Same lineup from the Phoenix game," Maurice said after today's morning skate at the RBC Center.  "Big chunks of that game we liked how we played.

"Whoever Paddy (Dwyer) plays with seems to play well. It's almost a Chad LaRose factor. "

Jiri Tlusty was on the ice today at the RecZone and Chad LaRose was not for the Canes' practice.

LaRose was in the building. You could hear him. And coach Paul Maurice said the winger would play Wednesday in the home opener against the Washington Capitals.

"He'll be fine for the morning skate," Maurice said. "We're in-season, so that means there's always guys who can get a little better if they don't skate. But he'll be fine for the morning skate and the game."