Anton, come home -- all is forgiven.
After spending last season in Russia following his very public spat with the Canes during the 2006-07 season, Anton Babchuk is returning to Carolina.
The Canes signed the prodigal defenseman to a one-year, $1 million contract to help fill out a defensive group that's a little threadbare at the moment.
Babchuk gives the Canes five defensemen under contract, with restricted free agent Dennis Seidenberg likely to be the sixth.
They're still in the hunt for a legit No. 1 puck-moving defenseman to fill out that group, which remains the top item on Carolina's list.
UPDATE, 6:25 p.m.: Guess the Canes ended up crossing off the top item on their list, huh?
Here's what Rutherford had to say about Le Affaire Babchuk:
"I was disappointed in him, his teammates were, that’s something (going to the minors) he should have done. And because of that, we kind of went different ways and he went back to Russia last year. We didn’t totally forget about him. He’s still a young guy. But when we look at what we’re doing with our defense, and we look at what it costs to go out and get young defensemen, we’re saying, ‘Why not give this guy another chance?’ He had a good year in the Russian league. At times he played pretty good for us over here. Now he’s two years older, maybe this guy is going to step up and do what we think he can do at a very young age at 24. So we’ve made up.”
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
Wow, some of you are out to
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 16:28 — Anonymous (not verified)Wow, some of you are out to lunch or don't know what "hockey" is still. Babchuk is a bad defensemen? Babchuk is an offensive defenseman? Yeap, out to lunch.....
For a deal that's been rumored for...oh, I don't know....a year, some of you are acting like this is sooooooo much of a shock. What's wrong with you Caniacs today?
Plan the parade.
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 16:03 — Anonymous (not verified)Plan the parade.
What possible hole does
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 13:42 — Anonymous (not verified)What possible hole does Babchuk fill? He is horrible defensively, & he can't shoot the puck within 5 ft. of the net. Pitkanen is fine, but we need another top-4 guy. This seems like $1 million down the tubes that we could've given to a real UFA.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 13:21 — Anonymous (not verified)NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
hedican as a shut down D man??
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:53 — Anonymous (not verified)he hasen't been that for 5-6 years. more like a poor man's paul coffee. good guy from all accounts though(don't ask kevin adams). good trade for pitkanen. we got value for cole(gonna be missed) and he is a plus-18 for his carrer. one bad season at -25 two years ago on that AWFULL flyers team that won like 6 games all year.
Humble Pie...
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:48 — rmmeliWho ate the most - Rutherford or Babchuk?
Huh?
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:46 — McFish (not verified)I'm surprised by this. I didn't think Babchuk was going to come back after his tiff with management. I wonder if he came to JR or if JR came to him...
Recycled Garbage
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:37 — JD (not verified)So this is our solution to finding a "top-pairing" defenseman?
I hated to see Cole go, but this is even worse. We need a stalwart, not a crybaby. He didn't stick in the NHL before, what makes us think he is now?
We better make another addition of AT LEAST a second tier defenseman, because this is not the solution.
Now we have Corvo, Pitkanen,
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:35 — James_Now we have Corvo, Pitkanen, and Babchuk - three offensive defensemen. I don't know about Pitkanen, but I do know that corvo and babchuk aren't too good defensive defensemen, so how does bringing babchuk back help replace shut-down defensemen wesley and hedican? we should get at least one shut-down defenseman shouldnt we? maybe that way, we could scratch wallin every night.
Isn't Kaberle also
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:45 — FuquayCaniacIsn't Kaberle also considered an offensive defenseman?
Looking at Babchuck's stats last year, he also seems to bring shot-blocking to the table. Still far from shut-down D man that we need.
yeah your right, i forgot
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 13:24 — James_yeah your right, i forgot about kaberle. he is technically an OD, but a piss poor one the last couple of years.
Agreed, that's why I typed
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 14:13 — FuquayCaniacAgreed, that's why I typed 'considered'. :)
I like my crow pan-friend,
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:14 — ctillI like my crow pan-friend, with peas and sweet potatoes on the side.
TSN announcing Cole for Pitkanen
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:13 — canes2006 (not verified)Just hit the wire
Let's hope he leaves any
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:13 — Anonymous (not verified)Let's hope he leaves any baggage in Russia and is more positionally sound that his last stint as a Hurricane.
And I hope his shot is a bit more precise. :)
Good bye Cole, hello
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:10 — Trev (not verified)Good bye Cole, hello Pitkanen