RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes All-Star defenseman Dougie Hamilton missed a second straight practice Saturday, and his status remains unclear as the team prepares for the return to play in the coming week.
The team said on its website Wednesday that Hamilton left that day's practice early in "some visible discomfort” and he didn't practice Thursday. At the time, coach Rod Brind'Amour offered no specifics. The league has prohibited teams from disclosing whether a player is injured or ill, though he noted the team is “hoping that this isn't something that's long-term.”
Brind'Amour offered no additional details after Saturday's workout at the end of the team's roughly two-week training camp at PNC Arena before leaving Sunday for Toronto.
Hamilton broke his left leg in January and was sidelined until the NHL suspended the season because of the pandemic, but he had returned for the beginning of training camp. He had 14 goals and 26 assists in 47 regular-season games.
Center Martin Necas also left Saturday's workout early. Brind'Amour said the 21-year-old player “did something when he was skating around” but that “it shouldn't be an issue.”
The Hurricanes face Washington in Wednesday's exhibition game before opening a best-of-5 series against the New York Rangers next Saturday in the Eastern Conference's qualifying round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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