As far as he's concerned, Erik Cole expects to be back in a Hurricanes uniform next season.
The 30-year-old forward is an unrestricted free agent, but his comments Friday indicated he thinks his second stint with the Hurricanes will continue.
"I would expect to (be back)," Cole said. "Obviously, we'll wait and see what happens over the next month or little over a month or so. We'll see what happens but this is where I expect to be."
Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford on Thursday: “Erik Cole’s playoff performance would not eliminate him as being part of our team next year. We still need that type of player.”
Cole played a key role down the stretch, recording 15 points in 17 games after his return from the Oilers, but fizzled in the playoffs, failing to score in 18 games. He said in addition to the knee injury he suffered in Game 1 of the conference finals, he was playing with a couple of "minor injuries" he would not disclose.
Asked if they would require surgery, Cole said, "Hopefully just time. We'll see."
Cole was open, however, about the need for him to play better over longer stretches of the regular season, which has always been the biggest negative on his scouting report.
"There will always be parts of my game I can do more consistently," Cole said. "I guess really, consistency is the No. 1 thing. There's a level I can play at that I think I can prove I can be, where I have been before. I'm capable of playing a certain way throughout the season."
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
Half his
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 12:48 — Hockeydogcurrent salary is the high end of what he should be offered. I am a fan of what he is capable of doing, but with his history of always being banged up due to his playing style ( not including his neck injury) he can never seem to find that consistency. Anything is possible, but Cole will likely be the same player we've always known, a first line premier power forward one night and a 3rd line banger the next. Sign him with that understanding and the pay that goes with it.
I hope we can keep Cole in
Fri, 05/29/2009 - 20:19 — gocanes2I hope we can keep Cole in Carolina. I love the physicality he adds to the game and he's very quick.
Keep him around?
Fri, 05/29/2009 - 16:13 — Hockeydad92Not a bad idea, just split his 08-09 salary with LaRose and keep em both
I Hope He Returns
Fri, 05/29/2009 - 13:22 — maddertionI hope he returns for next season. Erik brings size, and fiestyness that we were surely missing last fall. Plus there were some obvious team chemistry benefits to his return. If he wants to stay, though, he will have to evaluate the value of his services. There doesn't seem to be a lot of salary money floating around this year and I don't see a $4 million contract happening for anybody this year. I also don't think JR brought him back from the Oilers as just a rental player. I suspect there was a more long term plan and some middle ground will be found to keep him here for a couple more years.