Rod Brind'Amour says he will not make a big issue of it, noting simply, "It is what it is."
The Canes' captain did not like being benched last week, being made a healthy extra against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a first for him, certainly with Carolina, and it stung.
But it's not as if Brind'Amour has been waiting a week to blast Canes coach Paul Maurice for the decision or turn it into a divisive issue in the locker room. In fact, he said Monday, the less said about it the better.
"It's a tough situation, that's about all I can say," Brind'Amour said after practice at the RecZone. "I don't want to be a distraction. It is what it is.
"Obviously it's not something I'm accustomed to or whatever. But it's a decision that they make, so ... I guess the main thing was to support my teammates and just keep working hard, and if you get another chance to get back in there and you do you best, and that's really the way I approached it."
Brind'Amour played the last three road games. In the Canes' 4-2 loss Saturday at Ottawa, he was credited with a team-high six hits.
Did the benching add extra motivation?
"No," Brind'Amour said. "I prepare every (game). That's not going to do much for that.
"I prepare every game like I'm going to play 20 minutes. If I get three or four or whatever it is, I just have to make the most of them. You always stay ready and that's kind of the way I approach it."
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Fact of the matter is
Tue, 12/15/2009 - 10:52 — asb4Fact of the matter is Brind'Amour should be waived as well. Unfortunately the cap is prohibiting the appropriate moves. We need to get younger, faster and tougher and that wont hapen with the current bench
Classy Rod
Tue, 12/15/2009 - 10:06 — Caniac5I have high respect for Roddy for putting up with a lot of stuff that is going on around the Cane's organization. Personally, I'm not sure I could take it. But, Roddy is a classy guy that loves the game. He deserves his position and wears the "C" with pride.
I request that we leave him alone and let him do his job. He will make the right decisions for the team and himself.
Let Brindy Be
Tue, 12/15/2009 - 07:15 — gso_canes_fanHe will take himself out of the game if he sees that it is hurting the team too much
Bindy is like a lot of us where age takes over-he does not want to give up but hates hurting the team
Being 81 years old I understand. I am having trouble even walking because of geezer defeclts. This hurts after years of skating, skiig and running marathons for years
team first
Mon, 12/14/2009 - 23:43 — HockeydogHis comments were team first quality. He doesn't want to start controversy and and likely doesn't want attention drawn to his play. He's not contributing as much on the ice but at least he's doing his part in the room- at least his comments indicate that.
Well
Mon, 12/14/2009 - 19:34 — esteban1949Well I am not sure who asked Rod the question, but i liked how he responded to it.
Shows that and while he is a human being,and still has an edge...lets me know that he is and remains focused, dispite the deep valley he maybe in. Many fans forget that even a player like Brind'Amour will have dry and crappy spells, and trust me, I think he'd rather be a +2 than a -19 or what ever the figure is at this moment.
So Chip who was the person who asked the question ? And how is Gleason holding up ? even after a couple of days, getting 30 stitches in the face where he got em at still has to hurt like the dickens...Thanks for the effort Chip
The Canes are Good,My Grandkids are Better, and Life is Great !!
Go Canes !!