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‘Canes Ruutu (hip) to make preseason debut tonight

Carolina Hurricanes v Philadelphia Flyers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 21: Tuomo Ruutu #15 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates in warmups prior to the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 21, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Oft-injured winger Tuomo Ruutu will make his preseason debut tonight for the ‘Canes, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.

Ruutu, 30, didn’t play in either of the Hurricanes’ first two exhibition contests -- a 5-4 loss to Columbus and a 5-2 loss to Buffalo -- but will rejoin his mates for tonight’s game against Montreal, the first of back-to-back games against the Habs.

It will mark a significant comeback for Ruutu, who had his 2013 campaign book-ended by a pair of hip surgeries.

The first, a procedure done in early January, sidelined the Finn for the majority of the season. Ruutu made his ’13 debut on Mar. 21 and proceeded to appear in just 17 games, scoring nine points.

Once the season was finished, Ruutu went in for a second hip procedure in May, one that has kept him from fully participating in Carolina’s camp.