Justin Williams was injured. And then hurt.

As the March trading deadline approached last season, the forward was recovering from a broken hand. He hoped to jump back into the Hurricanes' lineup and help in the push to make the playoffs."

And then he was traded. In a complex three-team deal, Williams wound up with the LA Kings and Erik Cole returned to the Canes from Edmonton.

"My emotions were obviously just caught off-guard," Williams said today. "Obviously upset, because I had the best years of my career here and reached the top with this team and this city.

Now on Talking Points: Instant analysis of Wednesday’s three-way trade that saw Justin Williams depart for the Los Angeles Kings and Erik Cole return to the Triangle.

Instant analysis of Wednesday’s three-way trade that saw Justin Williams depart for the Los Angeles Kings and Erik Cole return to the Triangle:

The Carolina Hurricanes have traded away one team favorite to bring back another in a three-way deadline deal announced today.

Forward Justin Williams has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings, setting up the return of forward Erik Cole from the Edmonton Oilers.

Justin Williams would be the first to say that injuries are a part of hockey. He accepts that.

But the Canes' forward is probably questioning why so many seem to happen to him — the latest a fractured bone in a hand that will sideline him a month or more.

Williams had the knee injury last year that required major reconstructive surgery. He then tore an
Achilles tendon in September, just days before the start of preseason training camp. He returned to the lineup in early December, a month or so earlier than many expected. Now, this.

Williams was hit on the hand by a first-period shot from teammate Anton Babchuk in Sunday's game at Buffalo. Canes coach Paul Maurice said a decision on surgery would be made in the next 24 to 48 hours.

"Tough break," Maurice said. "He walked on that bus last night about as low as a man can."

UPDATE, 12:42 p.m.: Paul Maurice said forward Justin Williams fractured his hand and will be out for a month. More details to follow.

The Hurricanes will learn later today about the severity of the injury suffered by forward Justin Williams on Sunday in the Buffalo game.

General manager Jim Rutherford said today that Williams was hit in the hand by an Anton Babchuk shot. Williams, injured in the first period, did not return as the Canes won 3-0.

"We'll find out sometime today whether it's a possible fracture," Rutherford said. "It could be one of those things you can play with or something that puts you out a couple of months."

Carolina coach Paul Maurice said a decision will be made in the next day or so on whether Williams will need surgery.

NEW YORK — For the Canes' Justin Williams, tonight will mark the fifth game of the comeback. Or maybe it should be called the comeback after the comeback.

In his first three games after returning from the Achilles tendon tear, the forward averaged 13:30 of ice time. He played 10:13 Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 6-5 shootout loss at the Wachovia Center but picked up his first point of the season by assisting on Matt Cullen's second-period goal.

"It's been going all right. I'm expecting a lot out of myself," Williams said today. "I'd like to start to try to do more for the team but I understand it is a process and things aren't going to be exactly as they were before I got hurt. But I'm getting better every game."

Is this the day, the time, the game, that Canes forward Justin Williams finally returns?

"You betcha," a smiling Williams said today after the pregame skate.

Canes forward Justin Williams, who tore an Achilles tendon in September, could return to the lineup this week, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

Williams was injured in a workout a few days before preseason training camp began. His rehabilitation from the surgery was expected to take four to six months, but he began skating with the team well ahead of schedule and was medically cleared for contact work last week.

"There is a chance he could play this week," Rutherford said. "We have a couple of practices coming up. We'll see how he does in those practices and then determine when he can play."

The Canes' next game is Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the RBC Center.

When Canes forward Justin Williams tore his Achilles tendon almost nine weeks ago, the best-case scenario seemed to be a February return. But Williams believes he may be able to bump that date up at least a month.

Williams has been working diligently off the ice to rehab the injury. He also began skating late last week at the RBC Center in individual workouts.

"When I was on the ice it was kind of off-balance a little bit," Williams said today. "That's going to be my main problem to work on -- balance.

"Fortunately for me it gets better every day. It's progressing as well as I could have hoped. I want to get back as fast as I can but as safely as I can, too."