Speaking of tea leaves ...
In talking to Canes general manager Jim Rutherford this week about next year's blue line, and asking if Brian Pothier figures into the team's plans, he mentioned that he expects Anton Babchuk to be signed. He mentioned Jamie McBain and Jay Harrison. Then there are Alex Picard and Brett Carson.
Let's see, start with Tim Gleason and Joni Pitkanan and add in Babchuk, McBain, Harrison, Picard and Carson. That's seven.
"The numbers get filled pretty quickly," Rutherford said.
That could be the 2010-2011 blue line. It also fits nicely within the financial parameters owner Peter Karmanos has laid out.
Pothier, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, made $2.5 million last year with Washington and then Carolina after coming to the Canes on the trade deadline. Given the boss' dictates on budget, it's hard to see the Canes offering anything like that to Pothier, a character guy in the room and a solid D-man but also 33.
Andrew Alberts was due to make $1.3 million with the Canes next season but went to Vancouver on the deadline as a salary move. Where the Canes will use that $1.3 million is anyone's guess.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Money
Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:46 — qlwik1Well money is not everythink guys, well at least almost not everythink<a href="http://www.psp.edu.pl">.</a>
Babchuk will be the ruin of JR
Mon, 06/07/2010 - 16:45 — HockeydogI hope Babchuk has really matured as a player and a person. I can understand not trying to re-sign Pothier due to financial reasons, but I hope Rutherford doesn't think Babchuk would have more to offer on the ice. Hope I'm wrong.
Boston signed Dennis
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 07:39 — ctillBoston signed Dennis Seidenberg to a 4-year contract at $3.25M per year.
Seidenberg
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 10:25 — abramsdougMy reaction to reading that deal was that a lot and a lot of wine had to be consumed before that deal made financial sense to a GM.
What...???
Tue, 06/08/2010 - 01:04 — AllenHYou guys are the ones on the wine, Seids is a very good D-man, he's positionally sound, blocks shots, takes and gives hits, he stops a lot of goals and gets in the forwards faces. While he doesn't do any one thing extremely well, he is overall a fine defenceman and I was hoping we could get him back.
I'd also much rather have Pothier back than Babchuck, who even in scoring 16 G's didn't do anything else and once other teams figured out it was easy to shut him down by getting in his face, he was pretty much a bust. He doesn't skate well at all and doesn't add much in the defensive zone, rarely stops shots or goals and doesn't use his Chara-like size at all. Pothier is a pretty good overall D-man. Not great but solid and plays with an edge we need.
Seidenberg
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 11:00 — hellfishTalk about OVERpaid 3.25m over 4yrs!!!.Yeah Boston's front office were drunk on that deal. 2m would have been fair Seidenberg's agent is a genius or can drink any GM under the table that's for sure!
Seidenberg
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 13:15 — louis12580This is a team that wasn't going to pay Kessell a lot of money, so instead they signed Derek Morris for $3.3M, then traded him to Phoenix. Yes, the Bruins do get the number 2 pick, but I am sure they will do their best to lowball either Seguin or Hall. This franchise has a long and storied tradition of being um, frugal, when it comes to paying it's better players. They constantly screwed Bourque when it came to negotiations saying he wasn't worth what he was asking for, then when he got older they weren't going to pay him for what he'd done because he was too old and not worth the money. The bruins at least showed some heart by trading him to Colorado so he could win a Cup. I lived in Boston for 20 years when the Jacobs brothers bought the team all they seemed to care about was making the playoffs and going a round or two. You constantly heard about how they were "committed to winning the Stanley Cup," yet never really did anything to make the fans believe them. It went from Harry Sinden, to Mike O'Connell and they were just mouth pieces.
Kessel versus Seidenberg
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 16:34 — abramsdougIf Seidenberg is worth $3.25 million Kessel is worth $6.5 million. How in the world can Boston trade Kessel due to his salary demands and then sign Seidenberg to this contract?
Kessel versus Seidenberg
Sun, 06/06/2010 - 21:57 — louis12580True. I think there we issues between the two parties and it got nasty. Kessel pretty much stated that he wanted to be moved if the Bruins weren't going to pay him (rumors of 7M/yr.) and they called his bluff. Now he's in Toronto and the Bruins paid for that last season by being one of the worst offensive teams in the league. Injuries to key players didn't help, but they were bound and determined to show Kessel who was the boss. Bruins management has over the years preached loyalty, as long as it was only the player showing that loyalty.
I don't think JR will bring
Sat, 06/05/2010 - 13:27 — DesertCaniacI don't think JR will bring Corvo back for two reasons: 1.) the Canes couldn't afford him given their present financial outlook, and 2.) McBain can step-in for Corvo. Both are solid D-men with an offensive punch. I think McBain can move the puck well and he has proven that he can score some goals from the blueline, as Corvo did. And of course, Corvo would be much more expensive than McBain is right now.
I think the Canes will use that $1.3 million from Alberts's salary to sign Babchuk. This, in fact, may be another reason why the Canes won't get Corvo. Why spend a lot of money to get another puck-moving/offensive defenseman when you already have 3 in Pitkanen, McBain, and Babchuk?
Finally, the proposed Canes D-line for next season looks really thin; we need more toughness and grit. I would get a Gleason-like player before Babchuk. Right now, I would lock half of that proposed squad in the weight room during the summer and force-feed them protein. However, drafting a good D-man that's ready to play will help the cause greatly.
Well on paper
Sat, 06/05/2010 - 12:31 — esteban1949it seems that Pothier is all but out,and i do not see Corvo returning unless he is willing to accept less than what he got from the Canes this last season before the trading deadline...but i really don't see him returning at all...but several unknow factors could sway Pothier's move or stay IF...
1. babchuk is resigned
2.JR stays @ # 7 in the draft and gets a forward
3.Rod can't keep up with Rosie at training camp
4 we trade Samsonov,or cole as mentioned earlier
again all we know for sure is that what will or might happen,will happen...we just sit & wait like good fans everywhere do...
The Canes are Good,My Grandkids are Better, and Life is Great !!
Go Canes !!
Hurricanes and Defensemen
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 19:34 — abramsdougI think Chip is right that the defensemen on the team will be Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen, Babchuk, McBain, Harrison, Carson, and Picard. I don't see the Hurricanes trading Pitkanen despite his salary. He has amazing skill and is able to play almost an infinite number of minutes. I happen to like the athleticism and size of these defensemen. Carson, Harrison, and Picard in particular need to come to training camp with more upper body strength. Carson is amazingly steady. McBain is tremendously poised for a young defenseman. Gleason is a beast and one of the best defensemen in the league. Harrison had a rough year, I thought; but Jim Rutherford attributed that to his being injured. Picard didn't get to play much for Carolina due to his injury; but he did well during the time he played. Picard and Harrison both have a physical edge to their game; and that grit is needed.
galatians220 is right; don't
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 16:16 — ctillgalatians220 is right; don't confuse cash flow with cap calculations. PK has made it clear that annual operational cash flow is what matters now. If Brind'Amour retires, he doesn't get the $3M, although the Canes will probably pay him something for a back-office job.
I agree that Cole and Samsonov are not attractive at their current salaries, but they have only one year left on their contracts. JR could sweeten a trade by tossing in a draft pick. Or, there may be a D-man somewhere who makes equivalent money and is on the block by his current team for reasons of "fit".
LaRose is good for the money, but an Albany player might turn out to be just as good next season -- and be paid $1M less than Rosie.
According to the CBA a
Sat, 06/05/2010 - 13:50 — jgrant641According to the CBA a player still gets paid upon retirment AND it counts towards the cap.
A buyout, or him playing are clearly the better options now.
I've been through all 475
Sat, 06/05/2010 - 20:13 — ctillI've been through all 475 pages of the CBA, its exhibit 1 (the SPC or standard player contract template), and the other exhibits. I agree with you about the cap, but I disagree with you about the post-retirement salary.
I suspect the defense is as
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 15:09 — CUPOFTEAI suspect the defense is as previously outlined-- Pitkanen, Gleason, Carson, McBain, Babchuk and Harrison. With the previous announcements that they are cutting salaries, won't be dipping into free agency and being hand tied by contracts that are likely immovable (Cole, Samsonov and Brind'Amour-- cap management guru needed at Edwards Mill), Pothier certainly wasn't an option. Corvo who still lives in the area might be depending on his salary demands, but then we'll be getting another puck moving defenseman and not the physical grit we really need. Whatever we hear from the front office about other teams who have succeeded with "budget teams" never entered a season with a blueline that looks as soft and inexperienced as this. Pitkanen's out of here by trade deadline if we're not in playoff contention-- count on it.
Pothier is gone, I expect,
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 13:58 — ctillPothier is gone, I expect, unless JR unloads a high-paid forward like Samsonov, Cole, or LaRose... or unless Brind'Amour elects to retire.
12 months from now, JR will have to contend with Pitkanen and Jokinen as upcoming UFAs. Ward will get a big raise. JR will have to dig deep in the wallet, especially to keep Jokinen. Of course, by that point JR will have said good-bye forever to Whitney, Brind'Amour, and possibly Cole, Samsonov, and/or LaRose.
Even if Brinda'mour retires
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 15:40 — jgrant641Even if Brinda'mour retires we are still on the hook for his full cap hit ($3.6mill) on the books.
It looks to be most cost effective for Brinda'mour to play this year, or next buy him out.
LaRose cap hit is $1.7mill which isn't much for what he usually brings to the table.
Cole ($2.9) cap hit), Sammy($s2.5mill cap hit), and Whitney ('09-10 $3.5mill cap hit) will have some question marks on them. Whitney's question is only due to what sort of demands he may have and if it is feasible to sign him.
I really feel this is a make-or-break season for Pitkanen as far as the hurricanes (and others keeping an eye on him in the league).
I don't think the cap hit
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 15:51 — galatians220I don't think the cap hit figures will matter as much this season, as we are trying to cut payroll as much as we can, as opposed to spending near the cap. What matters is the money we will actually be spending. I could see us buying out Brind'Amour, just as much to free up a roster spot as to save money. I think it'll only save us about $500K ($3 mil - $2 mil buy-out - $500K replacement). The best deal for us financially would still be for Rod to retire.