Ian White’s minus-10 is not an indication of his ability to play defense; it’s a reflection of the underachieving team he played on as much as anything.
At his best, he’s a useful two-way defenseman despite his size -- he’s listed at 5-foot-10 -- and he played two full seasons under Paul Maurice with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so both player and coach should know what they’re getting into.
When forward Tom Kostopoulos first joined the Canes' informal workouts a year ago at the RecZone, he was a newcomer to the room but also a veteran player among many veterans.
Looking around the room, Kostopoulos saw Rod Brind'Amour and Ray Whitney, Scott Walker and Matt Cullen, Nic Wallin and Aaron Ward. All that age and experience to go with Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Tim Gleason and the others.
His first thought: "We're going to win the Stanley Cup."
MONTREAL -- For two seasons, Canes forward Tom Kostopoulos was a part of the experience that is playing for the Montreal Canadiens.
"It will be fun," he said of tonight's game with the Habs. "The atmosphere here with these fans, the fun feeling, makes it a great place to play."
Coming to North Carolina and the Hurricanes this season has been another type of experience. Southern living. Southern hospitality. Picking a local college team to root for — Kostopoulos says he's leaning toward N.C. State.
"The guys are already roping me in," he said with a smile. "The first thing when I got down there everyone said was, 'You've got to pick your college colors.' So, N.C. State Wolfpack for now."
It's always an awkward thing for a player: walking into a new locker room, meeting new teammates, settling in with a new team.
Many NHL players have experienced it, changing teams through a trade or free agency. Tom Kostopoulos and Andrew Alberts are experiencing it this week with the Canes, participating in the "Camp Brindy" informal workouts at the RecZone.
"Everyone here is pretty nice and showing me around, so it makes it a lot easier," said Kostopoulos, a forward who played for the Montreal Canadiens last season and signed a three-year, free-agent contract with the Canes.
Tom Kostopoulos said he's excited -- about moving to Raleigh, about being a part of the Carolina Hurricanes.
"Everything I've heard about the organization is that it's a great organization that treats its players very well," the veteran forward said this morning. "I understand it's a beautiful place to live, where everyone is so friendly and the fans are great.
"And it's an exciting team. It was probably the most exciting team to watch in the playoffs last season."
