Canes general manager Jim Rutherford said Sunday that no roster moves or trades are being planned, that the team will "stay the course."
Rutherford believes his team, despite a five-game losing streak, has enough talent and the right makeup to turn things around and contend for a playoff spot.
What do you think? Stay the course or shake things up?
The floor is open.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Trades, etc
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 12:21 — CaniacGuyI think the next 45 or so days will be very telling. If we continue to fall further down the list of the top 8 in the conference, then I think a few of our players will be available as rent-a-players for playoff bound teams. Rod, Walker, Ray, Wallin, Babchuk, Kaberle, Samsonov, Eaves, and Leighton all fit that bill to my way of thinking. This, along with us missing the playoffs again by virtue of being a bottom level team bodes well of course for draft choices, but JR and PK need to be willing to step up and pay the prices a high draft choice will take to sign.
If any of that list DO leave in that role, JR will hopefully get very good players / prospects in return, because the likelihood of any of them returning, with the possible exception of Rod and Ray, seems to be small.
I don't think it's time, yet, to consider Williams, Bayda, LaRose, Ward as simple expendables unless we were to receive *outstanding* value in return.
Sutter, Staal, Ruutu, Pitkanen, Corvo, Cullen (could go either way), Seidenburg, Gleason are the core of this for at least one more, probably two more seasons. Still though, no one should be considered untouchable (contract and other considerations not withstanding).
Staal gets the "C" (but he REALLY needs to step up to it in order to keep it), Ruutu and Cullen alternate one "A", Sutter and LaRose (yes, LaRose by virtue of outstanding hustle 110% of the time) alternate the other "A".
Too Old
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 11:03 — Canes73We are one of the oldest teams in the NHL and we're fighting just to make the playoffs. JR has got to move some of the geriatrics for some younger players. Trade Brind'Amour (38), Whitney (36), Walker (35), Kaberle (35). I believe Brind'Amour (even with his horrific +/-), Whitney, and Walker still have some trade value for a contending team. Kaberle, may have to be sent to the minors and hopefully someone will claim him off re-entry waivers. Bring in some young hungry players or draft picks while these guys have some value remaining. Besides, we have to clear some roster spots for next year with players like Boychuk and maybe Bowman ready to make the team in 2009-10.
When is enough enough?
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 11:00 — GuerzyWhen is enough enough? We've been 'running this course' for 3 years now. It's getting old.
As good as the past once was (2006), we're not the same team and this group never will be. The core has had it's time. It's over. A new direction is needed. Plain & simple.
Do this, do that, do some more...
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 10:29 — lbloomerI hate to be the one person to agree with management but...
All this team needs is a tweak here and there along with some confidence and great goal tending:
Brind'Amour has been terrible this season. His minutes are going down and he is now the 3rd line center. He should probably be scratched or put out to pasture but the organization is loyal - for good and bad. Time to pull the Capt. and slide Sutter up, and bring a Rat or 7th defenseman to fill the 4th.
Yes, the team attitude seems bad - they should have a better record with the talent on the team. It's got to start with Staal, Ruutu, and Samsonov. When they forecheck well everything follows from there. When Staal coasts around the rink stretching and reaching for pucks instead of skating for them you can tell his game is not showing up that night.
And Goaltending has to get better. Cam Ward has to have a 60 minute game, not give up a goal on every defensive breakdown - they are going happen. He seems to freeze up and you can almost see him say "Oh crap" every time it happens. Leighton needed to be better when called upon. They won't even play him now.
Off the soapbox and back to work. Keep the faith you "real hockey fans" - the glass is half full.
Tweaking
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 11:06 — abramsdougIn my view lbloomer is absolutely correct when stating:
"Brind'Amour has been terrible this season. His minutes are going down
and he is now the 3rd line center. He should probably be scratched or
put out to pasture but the organization is loyal - for good and bad.
Time to pull the Capt. and slide Sutter up, and bring a Rat or 7th
defenseman to fill the 4th."
That approach seems necessary and painfully obvious. As far as I can tell, only Maurice, Francis, and Rutherford can't see it or won't see it. Is their refusal to take this step a massive case of self-delusion?
The reason for the 'stay the
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 10:18 — RipskinnyThe reason for the 'stay the course' directive is this:
1) Captain/Center Brind'Amour is struggling to get back into playing form after a bad leg injury. At his best you want to keep him because of scoring, defensive play, and face-offs. If he's had a permanent loss, well... but stay the course on Roddy.
2) Same with Justin Williams, fighting back after big injuries. If he makes it back, he's valuable, but how long do you give a guy? He's good enough when healthy to 'stay the course' for now.
3) Cam Ward. Is he a starting NHL goalie? Too many soft goals to say yes right now, but he's also left defenseless by turnovers and poor defensemen play quite a lot. He's been good enough where you stay the course until you know if he's matured into an NHL starter.
4) Defensemen. Most teams have an A-grade shut-down pair, a decent pair, and a pair assembled from what's left. The Canes have a top 4 who are roughly equal and at about B-grade, while the rest are very spotty in performances. They don't have a shut-down pairing.
5) Offense. Hard to tell why they don't score more. Are they asked to cover D too much? Will they score more if the D and goaltending improve? Are they playing from behind too much?
'Staying the course' is another way of saying 'still evaluating' and the next 10-12 games will tell the tale.
I still have my gear from playing at Ferris State in the early 1970s and am willing to come up to Raleigh and play if necessary. I send them my phone number every year, but...
stay the course
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 12:07 — HockeydogRutherford did tie his hands with the contracts he's given some players. The team has proven they can play well, but they are not consistant. Staying the course really means I can't move anyone right now and get back a player that will help. I do agree that if JR was given a trade that made sense he'd pull the trigger. It may be too soon to have a fire sale and bring up players from Albany since the team is still within striking distance of a playoff spot and nobody around the cutoff line has gone on a tear. Simply JR has made his bed and no other GM will help him fix it right now. Nothing he can do but hope the potential this team has shows up more often than not. If the Canes do not make the playoffs Rutherford should be fired.
Poor decisions may leave Jim no choice
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 10:07 — galatians220I think Rutherford has gotten himself into quite a bind w/ this team. After three seasons, this group of players simply isn't good enough- regardless of who is coaching. He's signed a whole lot of players to multi-year deals, many w/ no trade clauses. Many of these contracts were given based on one career season that is unlikely to be dupicated. The players are content w/ their money, but the team is hamstrung w/ contracts that can't be moved in what is a very difficult trade market. The best course of action would probably be a firesale to acquire draft picks- hopefully high enough to get a couple of impact players. The problem with barely missing the playoffs every year is that your team not only loses a bunch of money, but you're not quite high enough in the draft to get someone who can really make a difference. The problem is w/ the market the way it is, we may have no choice but to stay the course-
the course
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 09:23 — louis12580Jim IS correct in his evaluation of the forward talent on this team. The blue line is where the problem seems to be. Our top 4 is equal to many, if not better than most, teams'. It's the 5th. and 6th. d-man that can be the problem. Babchuck's play has gotten much better with time. He is finally getting the chance to show what he has to offer, not be jerked from the line up when he makes one mistake. I still think that we should look to bring up a blue liner from Albany. Right now, that's where the depth in the organization is. Now we just have to grow the depth at the forward position.
Are You Crazy?
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 15:40 — CanarseThe Canes top 4 is equal to many? Not many good teams. Let's compare with the Caps.
Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Federov.
vs.
Staal, Ruutu, Samsonov, Whitney?
Staal is the only player that would even fit in the Caps group. It's not even close.
Top 4 D
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 11:51 — JRs_FaultI believe the post was referring to Top 4 D.
The Course is Clear
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 09:10 — mokimanoThe course is clear for Rutherford and company...loyalty over winning, friends over business, soft and small over tough and large, cheap over expensive, live in the past over a change for the future...many of us diehard Canes fans have seen enough from PK and his cast of characters that never seem to ever really change. Stay the course means Tripper keeps his job because he is friends with the owners kid. Half our draft picks come from the owners Junior team in Plymouth. Bring back players and coaches from yesteryear because we know exactly what we are getting! Too many strange yet predictable decisions being made by the talking heads at the top of the Canes org year after year after year with the same result...mediocre, soft hockey that seems to be acceptable. Guess what...if the hardcore fans are sick and tired of it...imagine what the casual fans must be thinking? Blow it up and do a rebuild...this bunch is going nowhere...you cannot go into the dark places of hockey with a team that is afraid of the dark...somebody give these players a night light...
Jim Rutherford
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 09:01 — schelle92One thing I've learned after listening to our fearless leader for several years is that you don't believe a word he says. If he says there is no trade coming, you best believe somebody is out the door. If he says we are changing the entire team you can almost guarantee no movement at all. I don't think I'd believe him if he said water is wet. So if he says the Canes are staying the course, something is getting ready to happen.
Stay the course so they have
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 08:40 — RonMexicoStay the course so they have a shot at Tavarres or Hedman! You're doing a heckuva job Jimmy!
mediocrity
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 08:40 — rmmeliI assumed that staying the course meant continue with the current lack of desire and mediocrity. We have a bunch of players who are content with their million dollar plus salaries and the organization isn't willing or able (no idea which it is) to replace them with hungry AHL players.
Contentment vs. Hunger
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 09:34 — abramsdougI agree. I can't imagine why a professional NHL team wouldn't put the best players available in its system on the ice. Isn't that a basic covenant the Hurricanes has with its STHers, people who buy tickets, and fans in general? What's so difficult about the concept that ice time is earned and that Maurice/Francis will bench anybody who shows a lack of desire and who continually underperforms? I'd much rather watch the Hurricanes lose with players from Albany giving a 125% effort than watch half-hearted efforts by some key players. What am I missing?
Staying the Course -- Off the Cliff
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 09:12 — abramsdoug"Staying the Course" is purely and simply a recipe for failure. Coaches can't instill a consistent love of hitting and physical play into a team -- that comes from the personality, from the will to win, from the intensity of each individual player. Leaders on a team can inspire their teammates to reach the "dark places" of hockey by their actions, not how many miles they put on an exercise bike, or how many repetitions of bench presses they master in after game workouts or great speeches in closed door meetings. We've seen our third season of excuse filled, playoff missing, hit dodging hockey. "Staying the Course" means the Hurricanes players and coaches and GM get to "Stay on the Course" and golf when playoff teams are fighting for the Stanley Cup. All I can say is Mr. Rutherford, I would be thrilled to be proved wrong. You say "Staying the Course" will lead to a playoff position. Please prove it on the ice.
If they keep "staying on the
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 08:34 — figaroIf they keep "staying on the course", I'm afraid the result will actually be "staying on the GOLF course"...
If staying the course...
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 08:12 — Rearranging_Dec......involves confessions sprinkled with disdain for former coaches, then by all means, the ship is still sound and steaming headlong into the iceberg fields warnings be damned.
Clearly there is more going on behind closed doors than meets the eye and one need only wonder at what point does the owner and/or GM start to systematically throw the players under the bus?
The trade deadline should be important if for no other reason than to see what younger players the team can acquire to build for upcoming seasons. The core of talented young players is there and, as the Albany call ups illustrated last year at this time, some players are ready to step up and go to those "dark places" the current coach feels the team should go for 60 minutes on a nightly basis.
As much as some folks would like to hang on to the memories of three seasons ago, its time to reload. In its present form "staying the course" means a third long summer for season ticket holders like me to contemplate whether I should do the same next fall.
Stay the course!
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 07:53 — canesrunGee...stay the course...stay the course...Where have I heard that before? George W., is that you?
Where are
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 06:45 — esteban1949the team management people who used to be willing to trade or send down any player who didn't play as they should or could regardless of how much or little the player got at ? They are hiding behind a wall of lawyers who try and keep the team and management from being sued for such moves in today's sport of Hockey...but sadly we the fans never hear or read about that ? But back then we must remember fans & STH's...sex was doity, the air & gas cleaner & cheaper....and the love for the game was more important than how much one could get for being able to be able or permited to play. My how things have changed for the worst huh ? Heck even the Rats lost 3-1 against the Philly Phantoms too! Stay the course ??/ My foot !!
Don't Be Cruel
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 02:53 — irbefanThis team needs more shaking than Elvis' hips did! I'm tired of seeing a 'Hound Dog' effort every night and being sent home to my 'Heartbreak Hotel.' Ok, enough of that. I really think this team needs some toughness added to it; it seems like even Brookbank isn't as tough as he was last year. We need some tough, physical defensemen and enforcers to create some space for Staal and the boys. If things don't shake up soon we might end up gearing uo fir the Jimmy V early again. I really want to see 'A Little Less Conversation' and start seeing some actual results!