After spending last season in Russia following his very public spat with the Canes during the 2006-07 season, Anton Babchuk is returning to Carolina.

 (updated, 6:24 p.m.)

The flag is up and the buyers are off in 2008's edition of NHL free agency.

At this point, I'd be surprised if the Hurricanes made a major move for a defenseman with John-Michael Liles off the market. He signed yesterday with the Avs for $4 million per season, which would have been in the Canes' ballpark.

Their budget is too tight to do anything else without moving a forward, although stranger things have happened.

If the Canes make a move, it's more likely to be a fourth-line depth forward with some size and toughness, a la the ill-fated Darcy Hordichuk trade.