After watching his new team hand the Pittsburgh Penguins a 5-2 win on Thursday, new Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice identified the first area of concern to address.

Before practice Friday, Maurice’s second with the team, the Hurricanes discussed their defensive positioning in the neutral zone, taking an approach Eric Staal called “not so aggressive,” although hardly out of line with what most NHL teams are doing.

Maurice, though, was quick to point out that most of the drills the team did out on the ice were offensive-minded, designed to get the puck to the net, preferably with a body somewhere in the area as well.

One game into the Paul Maurice regime, assessments are being made. Two of them will come as no surprise to fans: Josef Melichar wasn't getting the job done and the team needs more toughness.

So exit Melichar, who was sent to Albany (AHL) along with Pat Dwyer on Friday, and enter Tim Conboy and Casey Borer, who were called up in their place.

Another game, another injury. Canes coach Peter Laviolette said this morning that defenseman Tim Conboy may miss up to two weeks after being injured in Saturday's preseason game at Philadelphia.

Conboy went crashing into the boards early in the game and was helped from the ice with an apparent shoulder injury. But Laviolette said it was a "torso injury" and not the shoulder.

(UPDATE: Conboy said he tore some cartilage under his rib cage but hoped to be back in a week or so). 

Tim Conboy is the subject of the latest offseason Q&A on the River Rats' Web site.

Among the highlights, his take on the atmosphere at the RBC Center:

Yeah, it’s unbelievable. Going out there, you throw the littlest body check--it doesn’t even have to be a big check, you can just be rubbing out a guy--and the place goes nuts. It’s a pretty intense atmosphere to be in and something I think every kid dreams of when they step on the ice for the first time.

Where to begin?

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.)