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RALEIGH -- Perhaps the biggest reason for the Carolina Hurricanes' latest late-season collapse was that Rod Brind'Amour was an observer.

The hobbled Hurricanes captain couldn't lead his team on the ice and instead was stuck looking on from the press box along with Ray Whitney, Matt Cullen and Justin Williams -- all impact players who missed time down the stretch because of injuries.

Those ailments -- and some players possibly returning to the ice too quickly -- helped precipitate Carolina's slide from the Southeast Division lead and out of the playoffs.

As they look forward, the Canes insist they've learned the importance of taking care of their future well in advance, starting with tonight's opener against the Florida Panthers (7, Fox Sports Net).

"You've got so many games, you can't leave it up to those last games, because you never know what can happen," Brind'Amour said.

Mounting injuries largely are why Carolina has endured two seasons of post-Stanley Cup struggles, and why this season has been threatened before it even begins. With key forwards Williams and Scott Walker starting the season on the injured list, the Hurricanes' fate might depend on how quickly they can get healthy -- and if they can stay that way -- while avoiding the lulls that plagued this team since it won its only title in '06.

"You've got to have that consistency," center Eric Staal said.

The Hurricanes hope they've addressed their nagging depth questions with a few additions to their blue line.

"We needed something else," Brind'Amour said. "We've got tons of great forwards. We needed a defenseman."

They picked up Joni Pitkanen from Edmonton in exchange for fan favorite Erik Cole to add another offensive threat on the blue line and further strengthen a power-play unit that ranked eighth in the NHL last season.

Carolina also brought back defenseman Anton Babchuk, who spent last season playing in Russia, and signed bruising defender Josef Melichar, a former Pittsburgh Penguin. They replace Glen Wesley, who retired to take a job in the front office, and Bret Hedican.

"The moves that were made were to try to fill those (questionable) positions and maybe bring in a bit of a different look with Pitkanen, who hopefully can get back to his point numbers -- or better -- when he was with Philadelphia," coach Peter Laviolette said.

The Hurricanes could make those moves because of the plethora of forwards on their top three lines; six players had 48 or more points last season. Yet that depth will be tested -- Walker will miss six weeks while recovering from hand surgery, and Williams is out at least three more months after tearing his Achilles' tendon during an off-ice workout three days before camp started.

With only two home games in October and an early six-game road swing, the Hurricanes can't afford another poor start.