October 6, 2008 Ray Whitney made his preseason debut Sunday after missing most of training camp while nursing an injury, according to the AP.
Our View:This is good news as Whitney is a key member of Carolina's top line with Eric Staal. Whitney has 30-goal and 80-point potential if he can stay intact over the full season.
April 1, 2008 The Carolina Hurricanes have activated forwards Ray Whitney and Justin Williams from injured reserve, according to SLAM Sports. The move as also resulted in the team’s decision to send forward Joe Jensen back to the team’s AHL affiliate in Albany, New York. The move sets both Whitney and Williams as eligible participants in Carolina’s game against Washington this evening. Williams has missed 43 total games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, touting nine goals and 21 assists before the injury. Whitney has missed the last 12 games for Carolina with a damaged bursa. The team captain has 25 goals and 34 assists. The team must be ecstatic to have both back and skating, but they may be brought along slowly if they are still slightly hampered. Williams has missed significant time, so it is fair to expect time will be needed to get back in full NHL form.
March 14, 2008 Hurricane forward Ray Whitney will have ankle surgery on Saturday and could miss the rest of the regular season, according to ESPN.com. The Hurricanes announced during the first period of a game at Buffalo on Friday night that Whitney might miss three weeks. Second on the team with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists), Whitney has missed six games with a sore ankle, the result of an infection from earlier this season. The surgery is required to remove a damaged bursa sac. This is a significant blow for a team already missing captain Rod Brind'Amour, out indefinitely following reconstructive knee surgery last month. With the playoffs right around the corner, losing Whitney may be an obstacle the team struggles to overcome at the most competitive time of year.
