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…

Ryan Bayda was fined $2,500 but not suspended by the NHL, the league confirmed Friday.

Bayda had been facing a potential suspension after he cross-checked Pittsburgh's Kris Letang in the chin with less than two minutes to play Thursday and was issued a match penalty for deliberate intent to injure.

The league reviewed the play Friday morning and fined Bayda the maximum allowed under its labor agreement but did not deem a suspension necessary. A player assessed a match penalty is automatically suspended pending a league review.

Ryan Bayda faces a potential suspension after he was assessed a match penalty for an incident late in Thursday’s 7-4 loss to the Penguins.

Bayda exchanged high-sticks with Kris Letang during a scrum with 1:19 to play, sparking a pair of fights — one between Tim Gleason and Letang, the other between Patrick Eaves and Miroslav Satan.

Canes coach Paul Maurice said today that forward Ryan Bayda, slowed by the flu, would not make the trip to Boston for Game 5 against the Bruins.

Bayda was held out of Game 4 and replaced in the lineup by Tim Conboy.

"Ryan does in fact have the flu and we didn't want to put him on a plane," Maurice said. "Hopefully we can get him well soon."

Maurice said he was pleased with Conboy's play in the Canes' 4-1 win Friday, noting, "He's reliable defensively and he's not looking to fight. He played smart hockey."

Add sandwich designer to Hurricanes forward Scott Walker’s resume.

Walker will appear at the Harris Teeter in Cary’s Cresent Commons shopping center on Wednesday to introduce his new creation, “The Walker 24,” a roast beef sub on wheat bread with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard, salt and pepper.

WASHINGTON  -- The Canes and Capitals will play six times this season and tonight's game is the first between the two Southeast Division rivals.

Question: could the winner tonight set the tone in the division?

"Yes," the Canes' Ryan Bayda said today. "Every time you play these guys it's a big game. It's a game within the division and they're all important points. It would definitely be nice to come out and set the tone in the series."

When Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford downplayed the chances Ryan Bayda and Keith Aucoin would be back with the team after the season, Bayda wasn't too worried.

He felt like he'd shown what he can do in the NHL as part of Carolina's second-half surge, so he wasn't surprised when the team opened negotiations with him, a process that ended Tuesday when Bayda signed a one-year contract worth $475,000.

Where to begin?

Ryan Bayda, Wade Brookbank and Tim Conboy have all re-signed, Bayda and Brookbank for one year each and Conboy for two.

It looks like Carolina's plan to get bigger on the fourth line ended up where the Canes ended the season, with the AHL call-ups locking down roles.

(updated, 6:14 p.m.)