RALEIGH, N.C. -- Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Kevin Weekes was taken to the emergency room Sunday after having a seizure and collapsing on the ice during the first day of training camp.

	Weekes

Weekes was later released from Rex Hospital in good health after undergoing evaluations by team doctor Jay Stevens and team neurologist Ken Carnes.

"Currently it would appear that heat and dehydration were factors in the seizure,'' Stevens said.

Weekes underwent a CT scan and blood work at the hospital. Doctors said he could be cleared to practice again by Tuesday, but was not likely to return to the ice until the team's practice on Thursday in Estero, Fla.

Weekes collapsed during the first official practice for returning veterans. He was in net while coach Paul Maurice instructed the rest of the players near center ice for a drill.

Weekes was conscious when he was carried off the ice and taken to the emergency room at Rex Hospital in Raleigh.

"He doesn't have a history of this. It was a complete surprise,'' Maurice said. "It wasn't a long stretch (after he collapsed) that we thought he was in trouble.''

General Manager Jim Rutherford, who was sitting in the stands when Weekes collapsed, said the team was relieved that their goalie was OK.

"Anytime you see a player go down, you always have great concern,'' Rutherford said. "You're always concerned until someone tells you that the player is all right.''

Weekes, 27, was acquired by the Hurricanes on March 5 for forward Shane Willis. He played in just two regular-season games as Arturs Irbe's backup before leading the team to two wins to close out the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Weekes, who subbed for a slumping Irbe in Games 3 and 4, beat the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions 3-2 in overtime in his first career playoff start, then 1-0 on the road in the Game 6 clincher. He stopped 72 of 74 shots in the wins.