Canes adjust to new look in room

Eric Staal and Tuomo Ruutu are among the Canes' four Olympians who were given Wednesday off and weren't at practice at the RBC Center.

They returned Thursday for the morning skate to find five faces missing from the locker room: Joe Corvo, Andrew Alberts, Aaron Ward, Scott Walker and Stephane Yelle. All were traded Wednesday before the 3 p.m. deadline.

"I wasn't sure what to expect," Staal said. "But any time you unload five guys it's maybe a little bit more than you thought.

"But it's some good quality people are getting some opportunities at other places. We're obviously going to miss them but we've got some guys who have come up, some young guys who have played really well. They'll step in and we just have to keep playing the good hockey we have the last little while."

Ruutu said just a few days ago, he and Walker had a long conversation. He came back Thursday to find the "Walker" nameplate over the locker stall missing.

"It's weird," Ruutu said. "The other day, I talked with him, spent a lot of time with him. Then he's gone.

"It's part of the business but not a fun part of the business. I know it happens in every sport. But in hockey ... I don't think in baseball or the NFL you have so many (traded) and it's like that." 

Not five in one day. Not seven in a month. 

"I was surprised, I had no idea," Ruutu said about Wednesday's exodus. "There are always so many rumors. At times it seemed like everybody in the locker room might be traded, and you never know which rumors are true and which are not.

The question is whether the Canes can continue their hot run that began before the Olympic break: six straight wins and 10 of the last 12. 

"I think we can," Ruutu said. "Obviously other teams, they've got some changes, as well."

Staal said he doesn't anticipate a dropoff in the Canes' play. Zach Boychuk, called up Wednesday from Albany (AHL), will be on the fourth line with Rod Brind'Amour and Tom Kostopoulos. Another callup, defenseman Jay Harrison, will be paired with Brett Carson.

Defenseman Brian Pothier, acquired from the Washington Capitals in the deal that sent Joe Corvo to the Caps, will be paired with Tim Gleason. Joni Pitkanen will work with Alex Picard, the defenseman obtained Feb. 12 from the Ottawa Senators in the Matt Cullen trade.

"We've felt good about our lineup the last little while," Staal said. "Obviously it's changed a little bit but we've added Brian (Pothier), who's a good defenseman and established and a veteran for a while. Alex played real well last game and fit in nice with our group.

"I expect us to be as good or better as we were."