The Canes are 0-for-their-last-20 on the power play over the last six games, which now has officially been deemed a power-play "slump."

What to do? Here are the thoughts of associate head coach Ron Francis, who helps direct the power-play units:

"It's a process. When things are going well you're confident. You're confident in your abilities, you're confident in what we're trying to do out there and you go out there and execute it, and quickly.

"When you're struggling, as we are now, three of those games have been on the second night of back-to-backs, with travel and against some pretty tough teams. We looked slower in those games and we're just not executing as quickly as we need to and getting the pucks to the net that we need to.

That's just a taste of what's up for auction Thursday night at the Scout & Molly's Bike MS cocktail party at the Pavilions at Angus Barn.

Lisa Disbrow, who owns Scout & Molly's, is the throwing the bash to help raise money for multiple sclerosis. As many regular customers to the boutique may know, Lisa was diagnosed with MS last year and is passionate about raising money to help find a cure. (More on this later in September. We're writing a story about Lisa's journey and her fight to help find a cure.) And part of that effort includes spending the last six months training and fundraising for the Bike MS race in New Bern Sept. 12-13.

So far, she and the Scout & Molly's team have raised more than $21,000, and they're hoping to raise even more Thursday. Tickets are $100. And it looks as if they've secured some pretty nice auction items. In addition to the chance to play with Francis and Rutherford, you can bid on a Slane & Slane necklace from Elaine Miller, Judith Leiber eyewear from The Spectacle or a piece of jewelry from Reliable Loan.

The party gets started at 7 p.m. Cocktail attire is encouraged, especially for the ladies, because, as Lisa explained, we don't get enough chances to dress up in a pretty dress.

We've heard about the Canes' prospect conditioning camp this week from a player's perspective. But what about the other side?

Here's what Ron Francis, who fills the dual role of associate head coach and director of player personnel, had to say about the camp and the benefit of having the prospects come in:

"The biggest thing is getting an understanding of who they are and what they're about."

It was no surprise that Paul Maurice had the “interim” tag removed Monday. That was all but a foregone conclusion from the time the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the New Jersey Devils.

But Ron Francis will be back with him behind the bench as associate coach, and that is a surprise — and not only because he was adamant during his lengthy playing career that he had no interest in coaching.

...that item dangling from Ron Francis' collar in the photo in today's sports section appears to be a radio earpiece.

Assistant coach Kevin McCarthy is the team's "eye in the sky" in the press box, communicating with Francis by radio on the bench.

Jim Rutherford, Hurricanes president and general manager, announced Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008 that head coach Peter Laviolette has been relieved of ... more

The readers have spoken! Here's the consensus All-Canes team as chosen by you (and roughly interpreted by me):

C Ron Francis
LW Sami Kapanen
RW Erik Cole
D Glen Wesley
D Aaron Ward
G Arturs Irbe

Ron Francis did a Q&A with nhl.com that is pretty far from earthshaking but an interesting read nonetheless.

About the most dramatic part was his comments about Brandon Sutter -- again, nothing new, but still interesting.

TSN's Bob McKenzie just compared Colin Wilson, the seventh overall pick by the Nashville Predators, to Ron Francis and Rod Brind'Amour.

Stay tuned for further comparisons to Eric Staal, Matt Cullen, Kevyn Adams, Eric Belanger, Trevor Letowski, Josef Vasicek, Tommy Westlund, Mike Zigomanis and Damian Surma.