Carolina's signing of Stephane Yelle is bad news for Michael Ryan, who until now was the front-runner for the fourth-line center spot, but good news for everyone else. Yelle is a perfect fit in that role.
At 35, he has lost a step or two, which is why he was available for the bargain price of $550,000, but he's still one of the better defensive role centers in the NHL, a faceoff ace and a good fit in Carolina's hard-working dressing room. The combination of Eric Staal, Matt Cullen, Rod Brind'Amour and Yelle down the middle is about as deep as any in the league.
The summer started out slowly for the Hurricanes, but with the addition of Aaron Ward, Andrew Alberts and now Yelle, their overall defensive game has been substantially upgraded.
Additionally, the Yelle signing allows Brandon Sutter to spend next season in the AHL, which is undoubtedly the best spot for his long-term development, and Jussi Jokinen to play on the wing in Carolina's top nine.
With Yelle on board, here's a rough guess at the lines:
Whitney-Staal-Ruutu
LaRose-Cullen-Cole
Samsonov-Brind'Amour-Jokinen
Kostopoulos-Yelle-Walker
Conboy becomes the seventh defenseman, which means Carolina's roster is more or less set, barring any unexpected training-camp developments.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
JR does it again
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 23:06 — Snakex001Now the canes have a legit 4th line, no kids that could step-up, no corpses on skates who might do something (I'm looking at you Dan LaCouture and Jeff Hamilton). A 4th line, a checking line, that could go out against a team's top line in a big spot. I'm giddy.
Hey Luke
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 17:06 — esteban1949Like the way you " guess-ta-mated" the make up of the lines...and i also see some major contributions from lines 2,3 & 4...But.....there is that yearly ritual called "training camp"...and again...I am so happy i don't have JR's job...I'd be dead from all the stress...hehehe...thanks Luke
Go Canes !!
Lines
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:48 — abramsdougLuke,
I think your suggestion on the lines is an excellent starting point -- to be tweaked depending on chemistry and the inevitable bumps and bruises of a crushing NHL season. I wonder if Sutter will see significant time at the NHL level this season. Brind'Amour will be a significant key to the season. If he regains his game, the third line of Samsonov/Brind'Amour/Jokinen should be excellent. The acquisitions in the off-season and the re-signing of the key players have left the Hurricanes in a stronger position this year than at the start of last year. The fourth line should be a great checking line that may well surprise us all with the scoring it produces.
Lines
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:04 — Canes73Finally an experienced 4th line that can play significant minutes. I like the shape this team has taken. We are now four-lines deep and are much better defensively than we've been in a long time...Kudos JR.