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LaRose signs 2-year contract

chipalexander — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:14:41 -0400

Canes forward Chad LaRose has signed a two-year contract that will pay him $1.5 million next year and $1.9 million in the second season, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

LaRose, an unrestricted free agent, had a one-year contract last season that paid him $875,000. Unable to reach an early agreement with the Canes, he tested the NHL's free-agent market for two days before re-signing with Carolina.

"This works out fine," Rutherford said of the contract. "It's the same contract that we gave Jussi Jokinen. It makes sense within our structure and is justifiable to both sides."

Jokinen, a restricted free agent forward, also received a two-year contract that will pay him a total of $3.4 million.

"We've got the guys re-signed that we wanted to re-sign," Rutherford said. "Now we can move on to the restricted guys."

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is an unrestricted free agent but Rutherford has said Seidenberg's asking price is too high and that he will not be back with the team. Forward Ryan Bayda, also unrestricted, has been offered a two-way contract.

The restricted free agents are forward Tuomo Ruutu and defenseman Anton Babchuk. Rutherford said Babchuk, who has been made a $1 million qualifying offer, has said he would not play for the qualifier.

Staal, Ward get invitations

chipalexander — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:01:01 -0400

Canes center Eric Staal and goaltender Cam Ward have earned invitations to participate in Canada's National Men's Team orientation camp, it was announced today.

The summer evaluation camp will be held Aug. 24-27 at the Saddledome in Calgary to assist in preparation for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

A total of 46 players received invites, including both of Staal's younger brothers -- defenseman Marc Staal of the New York Rangers and center Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In addition to Ward, the other goalies in the camp will be Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins, Martin Brodeur of New Jersey, Roberto Luongo of Vancouver and Steve Mason of Columbus.

Staal was on Team Canada's "taxi squad" at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Talking Points: The NHL soap opera

ldecock — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:37:59 -0400

From Talking Points:

As far as the Hurricanes are concerned, it's funny how much can change overnight. When we went to bed Tuesday, general manager Jim Rutherford's last public statement indicated that Erik Cole was ticketed elsewhere and there was a chance Chad LaRose might return to the nest quickly after testing the market.

By the time the biscuits came out of the oven Wednesday, the door was open for Cole to return and LaRose had been bid farewell. So far, that's what has happened -- Cole signed for two years at an average of $2.9 million a year and LaRose remains a free agent, with Rutherford now dangling an impending signing in front of the fan base.

Read more here.

Rutherford: 'Time to move on'

chipalexander — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:43:06 -0400

Canes general manager Jim Rutherford said Wednesday night that it now appears unlikely free agent forward Chad LaRose would be signed to a new contract.

Rutherford said he had been in discussions with LaRose's agent, Patrick Morris of Newport Sports Management, throughout the day. There were hopes LaRose would accept a three-year contract being offered.

"It's not going to happen," Rutherford said Wednesday night. "I informed (Morris) that we had another deal we were working on, that I was giving him a courtesy call. He said he would run everything by Chad and call back in an hour. I waited but they never called back.

"Obviously they have a deal somewhere else. So we're working on signing another free agent. It's time to move on."

Rutherford did not say which player the Canes might be talking to.

LaRose earned $875,000 last season, scoring a career-high 19 goals.

Dwyer, Ryan signed

chipalexander — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:24:56 -0400

The Canes have agreed to new, two-way contracts with restricted free agent forwards Patrick Dwyer and Michael Ryan.

“Patrick and Michael add important depth to our organization at the forward positions,” general manager Jim Rutherford said in announcing the signings. “Both players had productive seasons last year and are capable of contributing at the NHL level.”

Dwyer, 25, made his NHL debut last year and played in 13 games for the Canes during three recalls from Albany of the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored his first NHL goal at Philadelphia on Nov. 28, and appeared in two Stanley Cup playoff games, recording one assist.

Ryan, 29, played in 18 games for the Canes, recording two assists while averaging 8:12 of ice time.

Canes sign Cole to 2-year deal

chipalexander — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:11:11 -0400

The Hurricanes have signed free-agent forward Erik Cole to a two-year contract.

Cole, an unrestricted free agent, will be paid $2.8 million next season and $3 million in the 2010-2011 season.

7:15 UPDATE: General manager Jim Rutherford said he has been in constant discussions today with Chad LaRose's agent, Pat Morris and it was possible a decision could be reached. Now it appears it will go at least another day.

"Erik clearly had an instant impact on our team when he returned to Carolina in March,” Rutherford said in announcing Cole's signing. “He has been an important piece for our franchise for a long time and we are pleased that he has decided to remain at home in Raleigh.”

Cole received $4 million last season in finishing out a three-year contract he signed with Carolina in 2006.

"It's important for a professional athlete to make money but it's also important to be with a team and among people you want to be with," said Steve Bartlett, Cole's agent. "We told Jim (Rutherford) we would not drag this out ... but we did want to make an informed decision.

"Erik's excited. He's got a Hurricane (logo) tattooed somewhere on his body."

Hurricanes ranked second-best pro franchise

chipalexander — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:07:04 -0400

It's not quite like winning a Stanley Cup but it is a nice distinction: the Hurricanes have been named the NHL's best franchise in ESPN the Magazine's seventh annual "Ultimate Standings."

The magazine ranks the franchises in Major League Baseball, NBA, NFL and NHL in terms of "paying fans back for their investment of time, money and passion." The Los Angeles Angels got the No. 1 ranking and the Hurricanes were No. 2.

The criteria includes affordability, quality of coaching, fan relations, commitment of ownership, stadium or arena experience, team success and "bang for the buck." Among NHL teams, the Detroit Red Wings were ranked No. 4 and the Washington Capitals No. 6.

The magazine will be on newstands Friday.

Canes could get quick answer on Cole

chipalexander — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:39:15 -0400

Canes forwards Erik Cole and Chad LaRose, as unrestricted free agents, went on the open market at noon today when the NHL signing period began.

But for how long?

Canes general manager Jim Rutherford said today that although there are no guarantees, Cole may wind up returning. He said Cole has said he will not drag out the free-agent process.

"Erik is working hard to work with us," Rutherford said. "He'll still go into free agency but has said he will not stay out there long if he does not see a big deal he can get.

"I don't think we're far apart with Erik. We've had several good conversations in the last 24 hours in Erik's case. I see his point of view. He's willing to take a pay cut but wants to see if there's a big deal out there. There's not the same frustration with Erik."

LaRose is coming off a career season in which he scored 19 goals. He was paid $875,000 last season and may be able to secure a better deal on the open market than Carolina has offered.

"I'd like to sign both," Rutherford said. "My position has changed. I only have so much (money) to do it. If we can do it within those numbers, we'll do it."

Another negotiating snag also has developed. Defenseman Anton Babchuk, a restricted free agent, was given a qualifying offer of $1 million — the same salary as last season — and Rutherford said Babchuk has said he will not play for the qualifier.

Babchuk has no arbitration rights. He could return to Russia to play hockey. Another option could be the Canes trading him.

"We have an issue with Babchuk," Rutherford said.

Talking Points: On Cole, LaRose

ldecock — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:27:16 -0400

From Talking Points:

Either way, this isn't what the Hurricanes expected to happen today. Perhaps Rutherford overestimated the desire of Cole and LaRose to remain in Carolina. Perhaps he assigned a greater financial value to that desire than they did. And perhaps they intended to test the open market all along (for a player, the chase for that one big free-agent payday can be a strong lure).

Read more here.

Gleason invited to US Olympic camp

chipalexander — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:21:47 -0400

Canes defenseman Tim Gleason has been invited to the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Orientation Camp.

The camp will be held Aug. 17-19 at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, Ill.

Gleason, 26, completed his fifth NHL season in 2008-09, earning 12 assists in 70 games for the Hurricanes. He led all Carolina defensemen and ranked 16th among NHL blueliners in hits (171).

Rutherford: Cole to test FA market

chipalexander — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:54:48 -0400

The clock is ticking closer and closer to the free agency signing period.

Where do the Canes stand on unrestricted free agents Erik Cole and Chad LaRose? General manager Jim Rutherford said today that Cole's agent, Steve Bartlett, has informed him that Cole will not sign a new contract before the deadline and will test the free-agent market.

LaRose's agent, Patrick Morris, said late Tuesday night that the two sides could not agree on financial terms and that LaRose also would test the market.

Cole was given a three-year, $12 million contract by the Canes in 2006. He has been offered a two-year deal for less money by Carolina.

"We know it's less than what his last contract was, but we've done it for reasons," Rutherford said. "There were the inconsistencies, the playoff performance without him scoring. He understands why."

Cole's refusal to accept the offer and test the market doesn't necessarily mean he will not be back with the Canes.

"We don't close the door 100 percent on anyone," Rutherford said. "But the offer we made is the best we can make. Once a player goes out into free agency and starts shopping around, that's something we're not excited about."

The Canes signed restricted free agent Jussi Jokinen on Monday to a two-year, $3.4 million deal. Rutherford said the other restricted free agents who played for the Canes, notably Tuomo Ruutu and Anton Babchuk, had received qualifying offers.

TP's Tuesday Top Five: Hurricanes draft picks

ldecock — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:15:00 -0400

From Talking Points:

It will be four or five years before we know how the Carolina Hurricanes did in the draft last weekend, although they deserve credit for breaking new ground, by their standards, in terms of location (their first-round pick was from Quebec and three out of six picks were Europeans) and philosophy (all six were 6 feet or taller).

Whether first-round pick Philippe Paradis will be regarded as a steal or a bust is yet to be determined, but the record is already clear on many of the Hurricanes’ past drafts, at least those from 2005 and earlier.

We all know the misses — Igor Knyazev, Jeff Heerema, Nikos Tselios — but among the hits, here are the Canes’ five best draft picks since the team moved to North Carolina, not necessarily in overall talent, but in terms of how well they did with the pick.

Eric Staal, for example, was a relative no-brainer at No. 2 in 2003, but Cam Ward was not late in the first round a year earlier, which is why they bookend Tuesday’s Top Five.

Read more here.

Canes sign Jokinen to 2-year deal

chipalexander — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:50:57 -0400

The Hurricanes have signed forward Jussi Jokinen to a two-year contract.

Jokinen, a restricted free agent, will receive $1.5 million next season and $1.9 million in the 2010-11 season.

"Jussi was a good addition to our team last season, and he really stepped into his role in the playoffs," general manager Jim Rutherford said. “His ability to contribute on the power play and penalty kill, and his versatility at different forward positions makes him a valuable player.”

Jokinen came to the Canes from the Tampa Bay Lightning in an early February deal. He was one of Carolina's biggest stars of the postseason with seven goals and four assists, scoring three game-winners.

Jokinen scored one of the most memorable playoff goals in franchise and NHL history — the game-winner against the New Jersey Devils with two-tenths of a seconds remaining.

Dumoulin, Dalpe to attend camp

chipalexander — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:35:58 -0400

The Hurricanes' draftees, with the exception of Swedish forward Mattias Lindstrom, will attend the team's prospects camp next month in Raleigh, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

Defenseman Brian Dumoulin, the Canes' second-round selection Saturday in the NHL Entry Draft, is headed to Boston College for his freshman year on a hockey scholarship and must pay his own expenses to the camp.

Forward Zac Dalpe, the Canes' second-round pick last year, is a rising sophomore at Ohio State but also will attend, Rutherford said.

Rutherford said the team's two draftees from Finland, defensemen Rasmus Rissanen and Tommi Kivisto, had said they would be at the camp.

Others on the list, Rutherford said, include goaltender Mike Murphy, winger Chris Terry, winger Matthew Pistilli and forwards Kai Kantola and Mike McKenzie.

The camp is scheduled July 15-18.

Rutherford: no change on Cole, LaRose

chipalexander — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:41:43 -0400

Will Erik Cole and Chad LaRose sign new contracts with the Hurricanes before Wednesday and the start of the free agency signing period?

"I don't know. It's tough to read," general manager Jim Rutherford said today. "I really don't know. There has not been any change in terms of getting closer together."

Cole's agent, Steve Bartlett of Sports Consulting Group, said today it is "highly likely" the negotiations would go past July 1.

Cole and LaRose are unrestricted free agents and Rutherford had said he hoped to quick negotiate with the forwards after the playoffs ended and reach an agreement before July 1. He said both had been offered multi-year contracts.

"Originally, we were looking at a one-year contract with Erik, but before leaving for the draft we moved it to two years," Rutherford said. "You put out the best deal you can. We think we've made both of them fair offers. But what we think is fair and what they think is fair can be two different things."

Rutherford said there had been no further movement with defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and that Seidenberg would test the free-agent market on July 1.

The Canes' other unrestricted free agent, forward Ryan Bayda, has been offered a two-way contract and likely will test the market, as well, Rutherford said.

"That does not mean we do not want Ryan back," Rutherford said. "We would like to keep our options open at that position with so many young players coming along. I can understand why Ryan might like to go into July to see if he can get a one-way contract."

Seidenberg was a top-four defenseman for the Canes last season, but Rutherford said the team would not be actively looking to make a trade or at free agents to fill the void. He again mentioned veteran defenseman Frantisek Kaberle and sound very optimistic that Anton Babchuk, a restricted free agent, would return.

"Babchuk, with Joni Pitkanen, could round out our top four," he said.

Talking Points: More from Walker

ldecock — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0400

From Talking Points:

In addition to Scott Walker's message to the fans in today's paper, read more about the fans raising money for cancer research in honor of Scott and his wife as well as a postcript to The Punch here.

Kivisto is Canes' final selection

chipalexander — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:48:40 -0400

The Canes finished their draft selections today by taking defenseman Tommi Kivisto of Vantaa, Finland in the seventh and final round.

Kivisto, 6-1 and 189 pounds, played last season for the Red Deer Rebels (WHL).

The Canes' Tuomo Ruutu also is from Vantaa.

Canes take Finnish defenseman

chipalexander — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:07:16 -0400

The Canes have taken another defenseman with their sixth-round pick: Rasmus Rissanen of Finland.

Rissanen, like the Canes' other draft selections, is taller than 6 feet — he's 6-2 and 185 pounds — and was the 37th-rated European skater.

Rissanen played with both the KalPa A junior squad and Finland’s U-18 team last season and had a reputation for being one of most physical young defensemen in his home country. Said to be an emotional, energetic player, he was a member of the team that upset Canada in the bronze-medal game at the U-18 World Championship tournament.

Kennedy taken in 5th round

chipalexander — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:11:21 -0400

Another round, another big guy.

The Canes made forward Matt Kennedy their fifth-round pick and the 131st overall selection. Kennedy, 6-3 and 203 pounds, was the team MVP for the Guelph Storm (OHL) last year with 33 goals and 40 assists in 67 games.

Kennedy, 20, also signed a tryout deal and played 4 games for the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) after the OHL season. He was described as a tough, gritty grinder.

Kennedy, from Richmond Hill, Ontario, was passed over in his first two years of draft eligibility and was draft-eligible for the final time in 2009.

Richmond Hill, Guelph. Sound familiar? Former Canes forward Jeff O'Neill had the same background.

Canes take Lindstrom in 3rd round

chipalexander — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:16:16 -0400

The Canes, continuing to select players with size and strength, have taken forward Mattias Lindstrom of Sweden in the third round. He was the 88th overall pick.

Lindstrom, 6-4 and 203 pounds, is described as a strong two-way player who has a very physical game. He is a native of Lulea, Sweden.

Lindstrom played most of last season with Skelleftea of the Swedish Junior League but also played seven games with the Skelleftea senior team.

"He is a very, very big man already," Rutherford said. "He played in the men's league in Sweden and actually put a scare into a lot of guys there in the men's league.

"He goes to the net, he plays in front of the net, he works the corners, he plays a realy physical game. One of the areas he needs to work on is the skating, but usually to be that big at this age it takes them a little while with their skating to catch up."

Lindstrom is the Canes' first draft pick from Sweden since taking Magnus Akerlund with the fifth pick in 2004.

NHL draft: Day Two

chipalexander — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:29:44 -0400

The Canes' first-round selection — forward Philippe Paradis — took some by surprise. He does have the size general manager Jim Rutherford said would be a priority in the draft.

And in the second round today, with the 51st pick, the Canes took defenseman Brian Dumoulin. The 6-3, 197-pounder played for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of Eastern Junior Hockey League and will attend Boston College.

Dumoulin, 17, from Biddeford, Maine, was named the defensive player of the league in the EJHL and had seven goals and 23 assists for a team that went 35-5-4-1.

"I'm a two-way hockey player," he said. "I can play both solid defense and I can also jump up in the play and create some offense. I think I'm a good skater (but) there are plenty of things to work on."

Dumoulin was the 61st-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. He said his strengths were his body frame and skating ability.

Among the players at the NHL combine, he registered the lowest body fat percentage at 6 percent. He also was tied for first in wingspan at 80 inches.

His weakness? "I've got to work on my defensive play. I've got to get stronger in my own zone. I definitely have to get stronger (physically) as well."

Dumoulin, one of the youngest players in the draft, said he attended Game 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Boston Bruins in Boston — a game won by the Canes.

"They have a young team and they have plenty of good years to come," he said of the Hurricanes.

All quiet in Montreal

ldecock — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:39:30 -0400

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said the trade market has been quiet during draft week, didn't get any offers worth considering for the 27th pick and doesn't expect to make a deal anytime soon.

Famous last words — things can change quickly when GMs get bored during the second day of the draft — but Rutherford said contract negotiations with Erik Cole and Chad LaRose are currently the only items on his agenda. And even if they hit the market, he plans to lay low for a while.

“Our goal really is to bring back as much of the team as we finished the season with,” Rutherford said Friday. “We’ll have a better idea in the next week if LaRose and Cole are going to get signed. And if they’re not, we’re going to back off the early part of July, because I think teams pay a premium (for those free agents) during the early part.

“We’ll sit back and see what players filter down to us. There will be a lot of players available in August. With that being said, I hope we don’t get to that point. I hope we can re-sign our own players.”

After expressing initial optimism over the Cole and LaRose negotiations, Rutherford has started to backtrack a bit. (Consider this pointed posting on the Hurricanes' team Web site.) That kind of posturing is natural and ordinary at this time of year, but openly considering the future without Cole and LaRose is another, significant step up the ladder.

As for potential deals, the Hurricanes still hold Anton Babchuk's rights — for the moment. As his perceived value was inflated by his 16 goals, he may end up getting better offers to return to Russia than from the Hurricanes. If there's an NHL team that wants the restricted free agent for its power play, his rights could move for a draft pick in a hurry during the second day of the draft. The Canes wanted a second-round pick for him last year; here's guessing they'd take a fourth-rounder tomorrow.

Canes take Quebec league center 27th

ldecock — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:48:33 -0400

The Hurricanes don't often look to Quebec for their draft picks — they had taken only eight in the past 12 years going into Friday — but they took Philippe Paradis with the 27th overall pick.

He wasn't the biggest player available, or the highest-ranked — 6-foot-3 Carter Ashton was available when the Hurricanes picked — but he had 12 points in 21 playoff games for Shawinigan of the Quebec junior league, a postseason resume too good to pass up.

And at 6-foot-1, 196 pounds, he's by no means small, with size being the Hurricanes' No. 1 priority with their first-round pick going into the draft.

"One of the things we said going into the draft was we hoped to draft a little bit bigger," Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said. "This is a player who's going to fill out. He's 6-1, 200 pounds and he plays with an edge. He's physical, a good skater. This is really the type of player we hoped would be available for us when we were picking."

Paradis (pair-ah-DEE) had 50 points — 19 goals and 31 assists — in 66 games for Shawinigan. Rutherford said he's likely to need a couple years of seasoning.

Ranked No. 40 by TSN and the Red Line Report, No. 60 by The Hockey News and 26th among North American skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting department, Paradis went higher than most expected — the player included.

"I was surprised a little bit," Paradis said. "I thought i was sure to go somewhere from the second to the fifth. I was pretty happy to hear my name in the first round and go to Carolina. I think it’s a really good organization and I’m very happy to go there. ...

"My style is like Jarome Iginla — an intense player with good skill, good speed, a physical guy. I finish my checks."

Carolina's last first round pick from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 1995, but the Hurricanes have beefed up their scouting there in recent years, first with Martin Madden (who is now with the Anaheim Ducks) and now with Mario Marois.

"It's not by design," Rutherford said. "I expected a few people to ask me that question, especially being in Montreal right now. It's never been by design. We just signed a free agent out of the Quebec league (Matthew Pistilli) from the same team. Now we've drafted Philippe. I think our coverage in the Quebec league is the best it's been in a while. We have a real comfort level there, but we really like this player."

A native of Dolbeau, Quebec, Paradis had the hardest shot at the CHL Top Prospects Game at 95.7 mph.

"He's a big, strong winger," Hurricanes chief scout Tony MacDonald said. "He's a physical player, a strong kid. He goes tough to the net, he skates well, he finishes his checks, he plays a pretty good two-way game.

"We think we've got a kid here who's getting bigger and stronger and progressing physically."

As for taking Paradis over Ashton or Zach Budish or Dylan Olsen or some of the other big forwards available at that point, MacDonald said: "There were a couple of things. First of all, he was next on our list. We liked him enough to have him in that slot. Going forward, though we'd go with the player. Plus he fit the criteria we were looking for: size, physicality, the skating. We were looking to address those areas of concern for the future. ... We're pretty excited to get that kind of a player at 27."

The 27th pick, a history

ldecock — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:35:41 -0400

The Hurricanes pick 27th in the first round of tonight's NHL Draft, and a 20-year sample of players drafted in that position indicates they have a shot at an All-Star — but a slim one.

Going back five years (it's too soon to say much about anyone drafted since 2003, although Washington's Jeff Schultz (2004) is a legitimate NHLer already) and taking a look from 1984-2003, one player clearly stands out: Joe Nieuwendyk, taken 27th by the Calgary Flames in 1985.

He's one of three players taken in that spot of All-Star caliber, with Scott Mellanby (1984) and Scott Gomez (1998) the others.

Overall, 17 of the 20 have played in the NHL, seven of the 20 played more than 500 NHL games and 11 were notable NHLers: Nieuwendyk, Mellanby, Gomez, Benoit Brunet (1986), Mark Fitzpatrick (1987), Tie Domi (1988), Steve Staios (1991), Rhett Warriner (1994), Cory Sarich (1996), Ben Clymer (1997) and Jeff Tambellini (2003).

The three wipeouts: Mike Morris (2002), Ari Ahonen (1999) and Michael Speer (1989).

Eyeing the NHL Draft: Drew Shore

chipalexander — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:23:07 -0400

OK, OK, Carter Ashton may be a first-round reach at No. 27 for the Canes, and, who knows, Zach Budish could be available in the second round.

So what about ... Drew Shore?

Once again, he has the size (6-3, 190) that the Hurricanes are looking for in the draft. He's a hard-working, bruising center. The word on the Denver native is that he's tough in those "dark areas" coaches like to talk about and a physical presence on the ice.

NHL Central Scouting has him rated 28th among North American skaters. International Scouting Services rates him 18th.

A member of the U.S. National Team development program, Shore had 17 goals and 32 assists in 62 games, and a team-high 17 points in 17 international games. He helped Team USA win the gold at the 2009 Under-18 IIHF World Championships.

Shore, who said he grew up a Joe Sakic fan, plans to attend the University of Denver this year.

"That's not a strike against them in our eyes," Tony MacDonald, the Canes' director of amateur scouting, said about a prospect opting to play college hockey. "If we think they have a future with us, if we think they're good enough, we believe they'll be ready with two years of college competition."

MacDonald noted the progress made by defenseman Jamie McBain, the Canes' second-round pick in 2006. McBain played three seasons at Wisconsin, was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award this past season and will get a good look in the Canes' preseason training camp this year.

"The player we take at 27 probably will be three to five years away from being in our lineup," MacDonald said. "We're trying to project ahead to what our needs will be."

Eyeing the NHL Draft: Zach Budish

chipalexander — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:55:11 -0400

OK, OK, Carter Ashton may be a reach for the Hurricanes.

E.J. McGuire, director of NHL Central Scouting, is of that opinion. He says Ashton probably won't be available at No. 27, although he's one of the first to say crazier things have happened before in the the NHL Entry Draft.

But McGuire tossed a few names around during an interview this week as possibilities for the Canes, given general manager Jim Rutherford's directive the team add some size from the draft. Today, one of them: Zach Budish.

"He's gotten a clean bill of health and he's a heckuva player with great size," McGuire said of the 6-foot-3, 229-pound forward from Edina, Minn. "He's given up playing quarterback and football and has dedicated himself fully to hockey. He could be a whale of a player, a home run for someone."

In terms of sheer size, Budish fits the bill of what Rutherford wants this year. He's big, he's strong, he has a good shot and he's bullish with the puck.

The risk factor: Budish tore the ACL in his left knee in football season last fall, and was limited to 15 hockey games with Team Southwest of the Minnesota High School Elite League. He has said he plans to attend the University of Minnesota.

Budish, who plays the right wing and has a righthanded shot, went to the NHL scouting combine in Toronto and performed well, McGuire said, alleviating most of the lingering concerns about his knee injury. He was ranked 22nd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and second among scholastic players.

Budish may be too much of a risk in the first round. Or the biggest sleeper. He's also a possible second-round pick if he's still around.

Leading up to the NHL Draft ...

chipalexander — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:51:39 -0400

Most teams jealously guard their scouting report before the NHL Entry Draft like it's the last surviving copy of the Constitution, and the Hurricanes are no different. It's strictly classified.

But general manager Jim Rutherford has mandated that the Canes come out of the draft this week with some size — albeit not necessarily in the first round, when teams religiously "take the best player available." But if size and talent are available at No. 27, when the Canes pick, Rutherford wants it.

Given that parameter, today, the first of the Canes' first-round possibilities:

Carter Ashton, RW, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

Ht: 6-3 Wgt: 205 Age: 18

Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

The skinny: Ashton is the 11th-rated North American skater in the NHL Central Scouting rankings and may not be available when the Canes' pick comes around. The power forward played at Lethbridge with Carolina's No. 1 pick last year, Zach Boychuk, and scored a team-high 30 goals for the Hurricanes last season. He skates well, has good strength, goes hard to the net and has a quick, effective shot.

Ashton has good hockey bloodlines. His father, Brent, was a first-round pick 30 years ago — taken 26th by the Vancouver Canucks — and the forward played 998 games in the NHL. Those who have seen him play say he has good hockey smarts.

Canes' call: If Ashton is still on the board, the feeling is he should be the guy. He's just what Rutherford and the Canes are looking for in the first round.

Now, if we could just get a peek at that scouting report ...

Seidenberg unlikely to return

chipalexander — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:41:38 -0400

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, an unrestricted free agent, likely will not be playing for the Canes next season, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

"Based on my conversation with his agent, and where they think he's at, he's a long way out of our reach," Rutherford said.

Seidenberg, 28, had career highs in games played (70), goals (5), assists (25) and points (30) this past season. He led the team and tied for 17th in the NHL in blocked shots with 160, and ranked third on the team in average ice time per game (22:19).

Seidenberg, traded to Carolina from the Phoenix Coyotes in January 2007, made $1.2 million last season.

At one point, in discussing his defensemen, Rutherford said, "With Seidenberg not coming back ..."

Told his comment sounded definitive on Seidenberg, Rutherford said, "It appears that way."

Ward 'gives back' with donation

chipalexander — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:50:15 -0400

Staff photo by Chip Alexander

Cam Ward was back in the Hurricanes' locker room today at the RBC Center, back to make a special presentation.

The Canes' goaltender presented a check for $11,860 to Special Olympics of North Carolina. Ward's "Cam's Champs" program, now in its third year, raises funds and awareness for the Special Olympics.

"Today is a big day for me, to able to come here and have this presentation and see the kids and see the smiles on their faces," said Ward, who was surrounded by five Special Olympics athletes during the check presentation and gave them autographed pucks. "It continues to mean a lot to me.

"It goes way back to before I was drafted and with the thought if I ever got in a position to be able to give back, it would be to Special Olympics. I just hope it continues to grow and grow."

Ward donates $4 for every save he makes in the regular season while urging Canes fans to also donate to the fund. Ward made 1,741 saves this past season in 68 games.

Ward said his interest in Special Olympics began when he was playing as a junior with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.

"I have a bit of a story, a little history there, where I became very close to a dressing room attendant that was involved with the Special Olympics and still today is a very good friend of mine," Ward said. "I continue to donate to the Red Deer Special Olympics, too."

Canes-Rats affiliation to continue?

chipalexander — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:15:16 -0400

Will the Hurricanes be affiliated with the Albany River Rats next season? Good question.

General manager Jim Rutherford had this to say about the American Hockey League team:

"In all likelihood we will be affiliated with Albany this season. We will know in the next few weeks."

Odds are, the Canes will continue with that affiliation. And while Rutherford does not want to comment further, the guess here is that it's possible it will be the last season the Canes and Rats are affiliated.

How about this: the Hurricanes buying an AHL team, putting it in Charlotte and expanding its "footprint" in the state? Seems like that would make sense.

Canes to enter team in rookie tourney

chipalexander — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:53:28 -0400

The Hurricanes will have a rookie team participating in this year's NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich., general manager Jim Rutherford said.

The Canes will have one of eight teams entered in the rookie camp and tournament. Rutherford said the event would begin Sept. 5.

"There will be four games in five days," he said. "The players who perform well will be come to our training camp."

Rutherford said the Hurricanes last participated in the rookie camp in 2005 in Ottawa.

The Canes will hold their prospects camp July 15-18 in Raleigh.

Canes give Maurice 3-year deal

chipalexander — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:58:07 -0400

RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes have given Paul Maurice a three-year contract to remain as head coach, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

Rutherford said Ron Francis will remain as associate head coach and also has been named director of player personnel.

"Ronnie has done a lot of things for us the last couple of years," Rutherford said. "It's important we recognize him for what he does."

No financial terms were released.

"I'm happy," Maurice said. "When you first start as a young coach, you want a contract, want that security. As an older coach, you want to make sure all the pieces fit and it's good for everybody."

Tom Rowe and Kevin McCarthy will return as assistant coaches, Rutherford said. Tom Barrasso, the Canes' goaltending coach this past season, also has been given the title of assistant coach. Maurice said McCarthy likely would replace Francis behind the bench when Francis misses a game.

Francis, a Hall of Fame player, was the team's assistant general manager until Peter Laviolette was fired as coach Dec. 3 last season and replaced by Maurice. Francis had not coached, or expressed interest in coaching, but Rutherford said there was no doubt in his his mind that Francis would agree to continue to serve as associate head coach.

"He obviously can do many things in our organization," Rutherford said. "But being with the players on a day-to-day basis, working on the specialty teams, but also being right there with Eric Staal as he continues to grow into one of the elite players of the league, I think is good for Eric and I think for Ronnie.

"So there was never any doubt in my mind but there's always things that everybody as to deal with and what they want do to and how much time people have to put into certain jobs. But also we don't want to lose what he's good at in developing these players."

Rutherford said all of the assistant coaches were given three-year contracts but noted, "Ronnie will be here as long as he wants to be."

Rutherford said there may be times next season when Francis is not behind the bench during games.

"He won't be on vacation," Rutherford joked. "He will be out doing something else helping the organization."

Maurice, in his second stint as Carolina's coach, led the Canes to their first playoff appearance since 2006 and playoff series victories over New Jersey and Boston.

Maurice coached the Toronto Maple Leafs the two previous seasons and remained under contract to the Leafs.

"He did what we wanted him to do," Rutherford said. "He took on a team that was struggling with confidence, that needed adjustments with its system .. and translated it into getting the players to play properly."

No Canes' staff changes expected

chipalexander — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:25:26 -0400

An announcement on the Hurricanes' coaching staff should be made in the next few days, general manager Jim Rutherford said today, and it is expected the staff will remain intact.

Rutherford met last week with team owner Peter Karmanos, Jr., in Detroit.

"We'd like to keep everything together and the way it was at the end," Rutherford said of the staff.

Paul Maurice replaced Peter Laviolette as head coach Dec. 3, leading the Canes to their first playoff appearance since 2006 and series victories over New Jersey and Boston. Ron Francis was named associate head coach, with Tom Rowe and Kevin McCarthy serving as assistant coaches and Tom Barrasso as the goaltending coach.

Rutherford said Francis enjoyed going behind the bench for the first time while continuing to work with Rutherford and team vice president Jason Karmanos on player-development issues and decisions.

"He does a lot of things for us on top of coaching," Rutherford said. "We need to keep all those things in order. I'd like to figure out a way, if there is a way, to not put too much on his plate."

Asked if Francis would remain as associate head coach, Rutherford said, "I believe so."

Rutherford said he had just begun to contact the agents representing the Canes' free agents. He said he still is not sure if the NHL salary cap of $56.7 million will dip a bit this season, although the Hurricanes remain a "budget team."

"Trying to fit them all in will be difficult and I do not know that we can fit in everybody," he said. "It's a juggling act."

Canes sign prospect Terry

ldecock — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:00:09 -0400

A fifth-round pick in 2007 who developed into a junior-hockey scoring machine, Chris Terry signed with the Hurricanes on Friday, adding to what figures to be an impressive rookie class in Albany (AHL) next season.

Terry was the second-leading scorer in the OHL for the Plymouth Whalers this season, scoring 39 goals after doubling his draft-year total of 22 to 44 in 2007-08. Over the past two seasons, he recorded 195 points -- and added 16 in 11 playoff games this season.

Terry's three-year entry-level contract is worth $1.825 million, including a $225,000 signing bonus, with an AHL salary of $60,000 in the first year and $65,000 in the second and third.

He's not a prospect at the same level as Zach Boychuk and Jamie McBain, who are expected to play for the River Rats, but if his scoring touch translates to pro hockey, he could end up playing in Carolina down the road.

In any case, he was the OHL's Humanitarian of the Year and Captain of the Year, which speaks to his character.

Other tidbits from Friday

ldecock — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:30:00 -0400

Leftover bits and pieces from Friday's exit-interview media availabilities, including Ray Whitney's thoughts on the season and Tuomo Ruuto on his popularity among Hurricanes fans…

What Ray Whitney will remember about this season: “Jussi Jokinen’s play in the playoffs and Cam Ward in the second half of the season. Obviously, getting a coach fired is something you want to forget, because it’s the fault of the players.”

Pending unrestricted free agent Chad LaRose on his contract status: “I want to continue what I have here and hopefully continue my relationships with everyone in the front office and Mr. Karmanos.”

LaRose on his relationship with Paul Maurice, who scratched him for one game in December: “Yeah, it was frustrating. It’s tough. He didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know much about him. He didn’t know much about guys in our room so it was tough for him to be in that position. I just tried to stay positive for my teammates and work hard. …

"He always gave me an opportunity and taught me a lot. He made it sound like mistakes are always going to happen and you have to forget about them. I used to worry about making mistakes. Now I go out there always wanting the puck."

Pending unrestricted free agent Dennis Seidenberg on his contract status: “I would love to come back. That’s up to Jim Rutherford and my agent, but I would love to come back.”

Ruutu on his health: "I was pretty banged up, but I have the whole summer to rest up."

Ruutu on his popularity: "I don’t know how popular I am. I’m just trying to be myself. Every time you have a chance to hit, you have to hit because they love it and you have to go for it. … (My parents) came over and they were a little surprised. I told them, they’re not booing."

Ryan Bayda on spending the entire season with the Hurricanes, a first in his career: "I've been gone and back and up and down more than anybody, probably. This last year, it was nice to be in one spot for the whole season. Especially now with a family and a kid and stuff."

Cole expects to be back

ldecock — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:15:00 -0400

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."

Tough timing for Cullen

ldecock — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:44:00 -0400

Talk about bad timing. Right when Matt Cullen’s left foot started feeling good, the Hurricanes’ season was over.

“It got better and better as the playoffs went on,” Cullen said. “Especially the last series, it was really disappointing, because it was finally starting to get to the point where I felt good again.”

Cullen missed the final nine games of the regular season after taking a shot off the foot and didn’t practice until the second round of the playoffs. But he was on the ice every night, putting himself through a brutal regimen of pain-killing injections to play.

He had only one assist in the first six games of the playoffs, then recorded five points in the final 12 games, including the opening goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“That was something that took a long time to get used to playing with and trying to manage,” Cullen said. “Not having that explosiveness on one foot was tough. It was definitely getting better as we neared the very end.”

Wallin, Corvo talk defense

ldecock — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:13:44 -0400

The sweep at the hands of the Penguins still stung for Niclas Wallin and Joe Corvo three days later, especially knowing it was Carolina’s inability to stop Pittsburgh’s offense that was the Hurricanes’ downfall in the end.

As they met with the media Friday, they looked back with some introspection at what went wrong on the blue line against the Penguins.

Corvo: “It’s pretty obvious we probably didn’t play defensively as good as we wanted to play. I wouldn’t go into specifics as to what we need in terms of players, but it’s obvious we really have to play better defense to compete with that team.”

Wallin: “It’s not just in our own end of the ice. We’ve got to have back-checking. There are five guys out there. We can’t have turnovers and stuff like that. We did that during the Boston series.”

Corvo: “We’d make one mistake and they’d be looking to score. When we’re playing good hockey, we’ll have another guy coming and not give him room for tap-ins, and things like that.”

In addition to that analysis, both talked about the motivation they would take from what happened this season.

Wallin: “I’m not going to be sitting on the bike for 45 minutes thinking, ‘Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup.’ But it’s always something that pushes me.”

Corvo: “As you get older, you make your money every year, but what’s it all worth if you don’t win in the end? The American league, World juniors, I’ve never won gold, never won a title. That’s my goal.”

Brind'Amour not ready to retire

chipalexander — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:46:30 -0400

Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour said today that he had no plans to retire after 20 years in the NHL and would return next season.

"I made a commitment a while ago to play and I've got a contract to play it out," he said today. "So it's definitely what the plan is.

"Personally you have to believe in yourself. I would not play the game if I did not think I could still do it. And not just as a fourth-line player. My goal is to get back and contribute with this team as I feel like I can.

"That's what I have to do now. Next year I will come back and prove I can do that."

General manager Jim Rutherford said today that "nothing was cast in stone" when it came to next year's roster other than Eric Staal and Cam Ward being the "foundation of the franchise."

Rutherford said Brind'Amour needed to have a strong training camp before next season, and said that with the Canes' strength at center he will have to earn a position.

"Up until his point in his career, Rod's always been slotted into a spot," Rutherford said. "There's a little bit of a logjam there. There will be a battle in training camp and throughout the season to see who gets those extra minutes.

"But he's in the right frame of mind, he's not going to deal with an injury this summer, and he'll get equal opportunity just like everybody else."

Rutherford said there has been no discussion about Brind'Amour giving up the "C" as team captain.

"No one has brought that up and I don't think it's going to be an issue going forward," Rutherford said.

This past season was among the most trying of Brind'Amour's career. Coming off major knee surgery during the 2007-08 season, he needed another surgical procedure on the knee just before training camp. He struggled with his game before sitting out two games with a groin injury in early February, and at times was used as the Canes' fourth-line center, with reduced minutes.

"It was an extremely frustrating start of the season," he said. "Really, 50 games, or 60 games, it just didn't seem to get going tha way I wanted to."

But Brind'Amour was productive during the Canes' stretch run to the playoffs. His work ethic remains as strong as anyone's in the league. He's still a presence in the locker room and a leader.

"A real positive finish," he said. "In the last 20 games, I felt good. I think I had almost a point a game the last 20 games. So that was where I felt I fit in, and the team was winning. We got on a run and I was contributing."

Despite his injuries, Brind'Amour played 80 games this season. He closed with 16 goals and 35 assists, but with a minus-23 rating that was grating, that stung his pride.

Brind'Amour broke his nose early in the season and kept playing. He took a puck in the face in overtime of Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, got stitched up and kept playing.

"We went into the first round (against New Jersey) and did well," he said. "Then at the end, my feet went right out from under me, personally."

Staal still looking to improve game

chipalexander — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:48:36 -0400

This past season gave Eric Staal a lot to remember.

He signed the seven-year, $57.75 million contract extension. He scored 40 goals for the second time in his career. He led the Hurricanes back into the playoffs and scored 10 goals, with none bigger than the one with 31.7 seconds left in Game 7 against New Jersey that beat Martin Brodeur and the Devils.

Then there was the Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. There was the matchup with his brother, Jordan. There was the four-game sweep by the Pens. That, too, will be remembered. Painful, but memorable.

"You always remember the last series because what could have been, moving on to the Stanley Cup finals," Staal said. "For me, facing off against my brother. It's not the result we wanted.

"But you're always going to have some good memories. Memories of down and out and getting it done against Jersey and then a huge win in Game 7 against Boston."

But Staal, while the team's biggest star and the face of the organization, said today there is still room for improvement in his game and approach to a season.

"I didn't have the start I wanted," Staal said. "I felt like I was working hard, and trying and competing. And maybe at some points too hard, and it was working against me.

"I think for me personally, with the help of Jimmy (Rutherford), Paul (Maurice), Ronnie (Francis) and the rest of the coaching staff helping me figure out what I needed to do to make me effective, whether it be scoring or whether it be playing good defensively, I think I figured that out on what makes me good night in and night out.

"It kind of happened January, February, right after the coaching change, I kind of figured out my game a little bit more. I was really satisfied with the way I played the second half and throughout the playoffs. Hopefully I can start with that right away at the beginning of the year and help this team get back to another chance at the Cup."

Staal credited Erik Cole with helping him make a strong second-half push. Cole, traded by the Canes to Edmonton after last season, was reacquired March 4 on the trade deadline and soon was back on Staal's line.

"He has a lot of speed and a lot of power in his game," Staal said. "I think for me, when he came in at the deadline it was just a different look. Obviously we have some chemistry together from playing together four years. ... I think it pushed me and elevated my game."

Cole is an unrestricted free agent and will be one of Rutherford's biggest offseason decisions — how much to offer the forward.

"We'll see what happens," Staal said. "But he's a great player and if they can get him back it's not going to hurt our team at all."

Ward: 'very minor' changes needed

chipalexander — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:07:35 -0400

What do the Hurricanes need next season to take the next step beyond the Eastern Conference finals and make a run at the Stanley Cup?

Defenseman Tim Gleason said a "tweak" here and there, but no major changes. Goaltender Cam Ward said the same.

"I think it would be very minor," Ward said today. "I think we really had the right team to go all the way this year, really, to tell you the truth."

Ward was at his best as the Canes beat the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins in a pair of tough seven-game playoff series. But he was a loser in a series for the first time in the Eastern Conference finals as the Pittsburgh Penguins swept into the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit.

"We got beat by Pittsburgh in four straight games, but they brought their 'A' game each and every game but I don't think they saw our best," Ward said. "It was never a lack of effort. We worked extremely hard but we just were not as sharp as we needed to be like we were in the first two rounds."

That included Ward, who apparently was slowed by a sore back in the Penguins series.

"We just didn't play as good as know that we can play," Ward said. "I think that just goes to show we had the right team.

"It just didn't go our way in the third round. But really there wouldn't be much I would change as far as the team. I think we've got a great group of guys here that want to win and know how to win. I think you use this as motivation.

"There's no reason why we can't be in the same situation next year with the same team. I think everybody as gotten a taste of what it takes, for the guys who hadn't been in the playoffs. And for the guys that were in the playoffs it was just another taste of what enjoyment we had there."

Up until the Pittsburgh series. That was no fun or enjoyment for anyone on the Canes.

"Falling short is never fun," Ward said. "A lot of guys are going to be working extremely hard this summer to to do whatever it takes to get ourselves ready for another great run next year."

Jokinen: 'I want to come back'

chipalexander — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:55:41 -0400

Jussi Jokinen will be a restricted free agent, but the forward made it clear today where he hopes to be next season — back with the Hurricanes.

"It's a good fit here," he said today. "I feel a lot of players come here and find their games again. It's a great organization.

"Obviously, I really liked the time I was here. I hope I will be back and I want to come back. This is a first-class organization and I feel we can go all the way. ... We have all the pieces here to go all the way."

Jokinen found his game again after being traded to the Canes from Tampa Bay in early February. He became a versatile forward, helping the Canes reach the playoffs and scoring some of the biggest postseason goals in franchise history.

Jokinen had the goal with two-tenths of a second left that beat New Jersey in Game 4 of the first-round series. His goal with 1:20 left in Game 7 against the Devils tied the score. His overtime goal against Boston won Game 3 of the conference semifinals at the RBC Center.

"I got a new start in my career," he said. "It gave me the chance to be the hockey player I can be.

"When the season was over, I felt more and more comfortable with the team. ... I still feel I have another level and I will work hard during the summer."

Jokinen had seven goals and four assists in 18 playoff games. In 71 regular-season games, he had seven goals and 20 assists.

"As a hockey player, confidence is such a big thing," he said. "With more ice time, I got my confidence back. In the playoffs ... obviously my confidence jumper higher."

Samsonov: Canes gained an identity

chipalexander — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:39:12 -0400

Canes forward Sergei Samsonov said the team's successful late-season run came after it finally developed a team identity.

And how would he define that identity?

"Hard to play against," Samsonov said.

"We became a hard team to play against," he said today after his exit interview with general manager Jim Rutherford at the RBC Center. "We were not necessarily a run and gun team. We were more patient, and in that way we were harder to play against."

The Canes' style helped them beat New Jersey and Boston in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But they got away from it against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals, Samsonov said.

"We made some mistakes that we were making earlier in the season but had not made in the last two-three months of the season," he said. "The effort was there again. But there's something we need to learn, maybe next year: not to get carried away. I thought we started playing more the way they wanted to play and ultimately it cost us."

But a four-game sweep by the Pens couldn't erase the lessons learned, Samsonov said.

"As a team we learned how we need to win," he said. "That will definitely carry over to next season."

No announcement on Maurice yet

chipalexander — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:21:28 -0400

While it would be hard to imagine Paul Maurice not getting a new contract and continuing to coach the Carolina Hurricanes, general manager Jim Rutherford said today that it may be a week to 10 days before a final decision and an announcement is made.

Rutherford said he would first conduct exit interviews with the players and coaches, then meet with team owner Peter Karmanos Jr. to discuss the plans for next season and beyond.

"Paul and the whole coaching staff did a very good job in helping us recover from an average start to having a very good second half to getting to the (Eastern) conference finals," Rutherford said. "Paul did an extremely good job, did everything he was asked to do."

Maurice was named coach Dec. 3 after Peter Laviolette was fired. The Canes reached the playoffs for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006, and the franchise finished in the black financially after reaching the conference finals.

"We had a lot of good things happen at a time when we needed them to -- returning to the playoffs for the first time in a while, and in some tough economic times," Rutherford said. "I'm really proud of this team, even though it was a disappointing way to end the season, and thankful for the way our fans responded. They're probably the classiest fans in the league."

The Canes have some tough decisions to make in resigning their restricted and unrestricted free agents. Rutherford said a budget for next year would have to be set before beginning that process -- Carolina had a budget of $49 million this season, Rutherford said.

"I think the nucleus and the core that we have can win the Cup again," he said. "It's a matter of making a healthy run. We just need to regroup and put together a good team for next year."

Rutherford said a draft priority would be finding a player or players with size, whether on defense or at forward. He said the Canes would have the 27th pick with the draft order reworked.

"I think adding a little size would be good for us," he said. "But you never know how the draft will work out. You have to take the best player available."

Rutherford said a few days ago that "something extraordinary would have to come up for this coaching staff not to return."

Along for the ride

chipalexander — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:19:39 -0400

Scott Walker put it best. It was a heck of a ride.

From the opening night win over Florida to the 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh in the fourth and final game of the Eastern Conference finals, it was a long and often tiring and mostly rewarding ride for the Carolina Hurricanes. And, for an N&O rookie who was along for a lot of the ride.

What to the remember? Games are games and there were a lot of them. But it's all about the guys in the room and the men who coached them.

Let's go around the room:

Eric Staal: always a standup guy, even after the toughest defeats.

Ray Whitney: quietly intense, intensely proud of his season, his team.

Cam Ward: Mr. March, no one in the league was better in the stretch run.

Rod Brind'Amour: rough season, played with pain, gave all he had.

Tim Gleason: he's tough, he's strong, he's a leader.

Scott Walker: he's got your back, always.

Chad LaRose: the hustler, always.

Matt Cullen: so steady, so productive, so competitive.

Sergei Samsonov: thoughtful, streaky good on the ice.

Joni Pitkanen: the smile, the skating, the dependability.

Tuomo Ruutu: one of his favorite sayings is "carpe diem." He often did.

Jussi Jokinen: all trades should work out so well.

Ryan Bayda: soft-spoken off the ice, a hard driver on it.

Joe Corvo: introspective, proud, talented.

Dennis Seidenberg: the ultimate nice guy, underrated player.

Niclas Wallin: a solid season for the veteran defenseman.

Erik Cole: came back, gave Canes a needed lift.

Patrick Eaves: nasty wrister, maybe next year is his year.

Michael Leighton: wanted to play more, great teammate.

Anton Babchuk: the big shot, a silent man who often went his own way.

Frantisek Kaberle: tough injury early, he seemed to never fully recover.

The coaches

Paul Maurice: the humor, the patience, the determination.

Ron Francis: has he found a home behind the bench?

Tom Rowe: always a friendly word, an offer to help.

Tom Barrasso: did so much to help Cam Ward improve.

Kevin McCarthy: disappointed to leave bench but a team guy.

And lest we forget, Peter Laviolette: direct, disciplined, organized.

Yes, a lot to remember. The look on Eric Staal's face after that Game 7 winner in New Jersey. Scott Walker's mad dash at Boston after his Game 7 overtime winner -- score one for me and everything will be all right, his wife had said that day.

In December or January, who would have ever thought the Hurricanes' season would end in late May, in the Eastern Conference finals?

Some ride.

Talking Points: And so it ends

ldecock — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:04:08 -0400

From Talking Points:

For Craig Adams, of all people, who never scored a playoff goal in 29 appearances with the Hurricanes, to put the final stamp on the sweep with his second of the series — that only made it sting all the more.

But the sting of this sweep will fade with time, and what the Hurricanes will remember is not the 4-1 loss that ended the series Tuesday but the remarkable run down the stretch that got them into the playoffs, and what they did once they got there.

“That’s going to take some time,” said Eric Staal, who answered the call Tuesday and played his best game of the series. “This hurts. It doesn’t feel good, especially being swept in the third round. That’s never nice. It just doesn’t feel nice right now.”

Read more here.

Game 4: Penguins 4, Canes 1

jpg — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:04:19 -0400

Staff photo by Ethan Hyman

RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes toppled Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils in the first round and the Boston Bruins, the best team in the Eastern Conference, in the second round.

The Pittsburgh Penguins turned out to be too much. The Canes' unlikely postseason run ended Tuesday night with a 4-1 loss on their home ice.

The Penguins, the Stanley Cup runner-up in 2008, will get another shot at the NHL's top prize after sweeping the Canes in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pittsburgh's supporting-role forwards — Ruslan Fedotenko, Maxime Talbot and Bill Guerin — scored after the Canes jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.

Craig Adams, the former Canes winger who didn't score a goal in the 2006 playoffs, added an empty-netter with 67 seconds left to close the scoring.

The Carolina franchise hadn't been swept in a playoff series since 1989.

For the second straight game, the Canes scored first. And for the second straight game, the Pens answered back with the next three goals.

Guerin's goal at 12:10 in the second period salted away the Pens' second straight conference title. They lost to Detroit in six games in last year's Cup final. The Red Wings are one win away from the first rematch in the Cup final since Edmonton and the New York Islanders met in both 1983 and 1984.

Guerin finished a sweet pass from Sidney Crosby on a 3-on-1 break to end any hope of another hockey miracle for the Canes.

Carolina struck first just 96 seconds into the game with Eric Staal's first goal of the series but it has been all Pittsburgh since.

Fedotenko tied the game at 1 at 8:21 then Talbot turned a Nic Wallin giveaway into a goal.

Talbot's goal with 1:29 left in the first period gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead.

Talbot's shot took a funny bounce off Canes defender Anton Babchuk and over Cam Ward's outstretched glove.

It was Staal's first goal in seven games. It was the first time in eight playoff games the Canes lost when Staal scored.

####

Tuomo Ruutu is out and Patrick Dwyer is in at forward. Frank Kaberle is out and Anton Babchuk is in on defense.

Ruutu did not come out for the pregame warmup. Ruutu missed Game 2 with an ankle sprain but played in Game 3 on Saturday.

Babchuk, a healthy scratch in the last four playoff games, is dressed and warming up. Kaberle is a healthy scratch.

Pat Dwyer again is dressed and apparently will replace Ruutu in the lineup.

The pregame lines:

Samsonov-Staal-Cole

LaRose-Cullen-Whitney

Dwyer-Brind'Amour-Walker

Bayda-Jokinen-Eaves

Penguins: Series not over yet

Javier_Serna — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:11:09 -0400

RALEIGH — The Penguins have the Hurricanes right where they want them, but that fourth and final series-clinching win is often the hardest to get.

The Hurricanes needed seven games against the Boston Bruins in the last round of the playoffs after taking a 3-1 lead and by the time they arrived in Boston for the final game, it seemed the Bruins had stole away all momentum. But they won in overtime.

In the last round, the Penguins also had a chance to finish off the Washington Capitals in Game 6 at home, but fell and needed Game 7 in Washington to clinch. It’s amazing how quickly momentum can shift. After all, the Penguins started their last series down 2-0.

“In Game 6 at home, we had a good chance to finish it, we just didn’t execute that game very well,” said Pittsburgh winger Miroslav Satan.

He shut down the notion that it’d be natural for the Penguins to exhale with a 3-0 lead.

“I don’t know what you want to hear but we’re just going to keep doing what we were doing,” he said. “It’s been working until now, but we have no reason to change anything.”

One of the things that has been working for the Penguins is suiting an extra, seventh
defenseman because Sergei Gonchar hasn’t been at 100 percent dating back to late in their last series.

Gonchar said he still wasn’t at 100 percent after Tuesday’s morning practice, and Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma didn’t address whether there’d be any changes, but it would be a surprise if he did change back.

“Coach made a decision and it seems like it’s working so far,” said Gonchar. “I haven’t heard anything but I don’t think we’re going to change anything.”

The brilliance of the move has meant more of star centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, aside from the seventh defenseman, Philippe Boucher, scoring the winning goal in Game 2.

“That’s another thing,” said Gonchar. “Players like this want to be on the ice. They want to have more chances.”

The Penguins don’t want to let the chance to get some rest slip by.

“When you get the opportunity to bury them, you have to,” said Pittsburgh center Jordan Staal.

But they also know the Hurricanes, with their season on the line, may bring their best game.

“We’ve got to be ready for our best game,” said Bylsma. “We’re not done with this series yet.”

Cowher least of Crosby's concerns

chipalexander — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:55:43 -0400

A lot of Pittsburgh folks seem to be upset that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher will be sounding the siren tonight before Game 4 at the RBC Center.

Cowher is a Pittsburgh guy. The Jaw was a big part of the Pittsburgh scene, brought a Super Bowl title to Steeltown and was a Penguins fan. Or so many thought.

"It doesn't matter to me, to be honest," a smiling Crosby said today. "It doesn't change anything. I don't really care either way, but I'm sure that would make people from Pittsburgh a little upset."

What Crosby is only interested in is ending the series — now, tonight, in four games. The last thing the Pens center and his teammates want is to start thinking about playing in the Stanley Cup finals again, lose tonight and give the Canes some life.

"It's important to keep everything in check and focus on your task," he said. "You never look ahead. If anything, you use it as motivation, but other than that it shouldn't even enter into our minds. Getting a win is the most important thing."

Crosby said the Pens learned a few lessons in the first two rounds of the playoffs in trying to put away the Flyers and then the Caps. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Pens had a 3-2 lead over the Caps and was playing Game 6 at home, only to lose and have to win Game 7 in Washington.

"If anything, you learn to leave everything out there and be just as desperate as the other team is," he said. "After that game in the last round, we realized how teams are going to fight."

No easy way out for Canes

jpg — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:59:12 -0400

A clip from "Rocky Balboa" played on the jumbotron during the second period of Game 3.

Cardinal rule of jumbotron management: Never motivate with a Rocky movie made after 1985.

For tonight's Game 4, the CanesVision crew should consider the more appropriate "Rocky IV," aka the movie that single-handedly toppled the Soviet Union (perhaps it will have the same effect on Evgeni Malkin).

Specifically, the best four minutes of cinema in the entire Rocky catalogue. Of course, that would be the "No Easy Way Out" montage.

Win or lose, the Canes have never done anything easy. They even took two moves to relocate the franchise.

"Things just don't come easy in this sport," Canes forward Chad LaRose said. "We know it's not going to be easy this way either."

Cue Roger Tepper, and thrown in Adrian's lack of faith — "You can't win!" — to set the mood. Here's a brief history of the Canes' not so easy way out:

2001 First round vs. New Jersey

Down 3-0 and minus captain Ron Francis and rookie hotshot Shane Willis, the Canes beat the Devils 3-2 in overtime in Raleigh in Game 4.

Game 5 goes the same way in New Jersey, another 3-2 Canes win.

Back in Raleigh, the Devils end the dream with a 5-1 rout at the ESA, but not before a 5-minute standing ovation from the appreciative crowd (still one of the cooler things any fan base has ever done).

2006 Second round vs. New Jersey

Up 3-0, the Canes waste a chance to eliminate the Devils, losing 5-1 at the Meadowlands.

The next day, they pummeled the Devils 4-1 at the RBC Center to end the series.

2006 Stanley Cup Finals vs. Edmonton

Up 3-1 — with a power-play in overtime no less — the Canes give up a Halley's Comet of a short-handed goal to Fernando Pisani and have to shuttle back to Edmonton for Game 6.

After a 4-0 loss in Edmonton, it's another cross-continent trek from Edmonton to Raleigh for Game 7.

On the third shot, the Canes win the Cup 3-1 in Raleigh.

2009 Second round vs. Boston

Up 3-1, the Canes get shutout in Boston in Game 5 and then fall behind early in Game 6 in Raleigh, eventually losing 4-2.

In Boston for Game 7, with no other choice, the Canes win 3-2 in overtime.