Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said the trade for defenseman Aaron Ward does, indeed, mean that defenseman Dennis Seidenberg it out.

Ward, a member of the Hurricanes’ 2006 Stanley Cup team, will be paired with the Hurricanes’ top-paid defenseman, Joni Pitkanen. Ward and Pitkanen both play big minutes, one reason they’re a good fit, Rutherford said.

“I have a lot of respect for him as a player,” said Rutherford. “He’s a big strong player that can play a lot of minutes. There’s no adjustment for him. He knows the city. He knows the team. He knows the system.”