From Talking Points: 

Oddly enough, while the crowd has been in full voice for both home games, it hasn’t been at full capacity.

The Canes didn’t come close enough to a sellout in Game 3 even to claim one, drawing only 17,971, with the all-too-frequent empty seats in Section 107 and a wide expanse of unoccupied black leather in the Champions Club.

There seemed to be more people in the building Tuesday, and they had quite a bit more to cheer about, but it still wasn’t a sellout. In fact, it was the third-lowest playoff attendance in RBC Center history — 17,465.

Read more here. 

From Talking Points: 

In the wake of the deadline, some Canes fans concerned that Justin Williams was too much to give up for a pending unrestricted free agent consoled themselves by arguing that if the Canes don’t re-sign Erik Cole, they’ll use the Williams/Cole salary slot to pursue a free agent.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Read more here. 

Forbes' annual evaluation of NHL franchise values ranks the Hurricanes 22nd, at $168 million -- up from $100 million before the lockout, when the Hurricanes ranked 30th and last.

According to the magazine's figures (which are annually disputed and/or discounted by NHL officials), the Hurricanes lost a league-worst $11 million on $75 million in revenue, which is slightly higher than what the team has indicated.

(Forbes claimed the Canes made $1 million in 2005-06, a year the team says it made $10 million.)

How the Carolina Hurricanes’ salary picture stacks up as of Thursday:

FORWARDS
Eric Staal, $5 million
Rod Brind’Amour, $4 million
Ray Whitney, $3.55 million
Justin Williams, $3.5 million
Matt Cullen, $2.8 million
Scott Walker, $2.5 million
Sergei Samsonov, $2.3 million
Tuomo Ruutu, $2.25 million
Patrick Eaves, $1.1 million
Chad LaRose, $875,000
Brandon Sutter, $875,000
Ryan Bayda, $475,000
Wade Brookbank, $475,000

DEFENSEMEN
Joni Pitkanen, $3.5 million
Joe Corvo, $2.75 million
Frantisek Kaberle, $2.2 million
Tim Gleason, $2 million
Niclas Wallin, $1.725 million
Dennis Seidenberg, $1.2 million
Josef Melichar, $1 million
Anton Babchuk, $1 million
x-David Tanabe, $900,000

GOALTENDERS
Cam Ward, $2.5 million
Michael Leighton, $600,000

BOUGHT OUT
Jeff Hamilton, $533,000

TOTAL SALARY
$49.6 million for 25 players (including Hamilton and Tanabe), with a charge of about $51 million against the $56.7 million cap. Carolina's budget has been set at $45 million. Minus Hamilton and Tanabe, the Hurricanes are at about $48.2 million.

RETIRED
Glen Wesley, D.

x-Hurricanes have initiated buyout proceedings with Tanabe and would be responsible for two-thirds of his salary this season if successful. The NHLPA has filed a grievance in the matter.

The Sabres signed goalie Ryan Miller to a five-year contract extension today, which is a pretty significant deal for the Canes.

Veteran hockey writer Al Strachan, formerly of the Toronto Sun, has a lengthy analysis of the flaws in the NHL's CBA on Fox Sports' Web site.

While I don't agree with everything he says, he makes one very cogent point.

Cross Chad LaRose off the list. Carolina's last restricted free agent at the NHL level signed a one-year, $875,000 contract on Wednesday as the Canes avoided arbitration for the eighth straight summer.

How the Carolina Hurricanes’ salary picture stacks up as of Monday:

FORWARDS
Eric Staal, $5 million
Rod Brind’Amour, $4 million
Ray Whitney, $3.55 million
Justin Williams, $3.5 million
Matt Cullen, $2.8 million
Scott Walker, $2.5 million
Sergei Samsonov, $2.3 million
Tuomo Ruutu, $2.25 million
Patrick Eaves, $1.1 million
Brandon Sutter, $875,000
Ryan Bayda, $475,000
Wade Brookbank, $475,000

DEFENSEMEN
Joni Pitkanen, $3.5 million
Joe Corvo, $2.75 million
Frantisek Kaberle, $2.2 million
Tim Gleason, $2 million
Niclas Wallin, $1.725 million
Dennis Seidenberg, $1.2 million
Josef Melichar, $1 million
Anton Babchuk, $1 million
x-David Tanabe, $900,000

GOALTENDERS
Cam Ward, $2.5 million
Michael Leighton, $600,000

BOUGHT OUT
Jeff Hamilton, $600,000

TOTAL SALARY
$48.8 million for 23 players, with a charge of about $49.4 million against the $56.7 million cap. Carolina's budget has been set at $45 million.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (with 2007-08 salary)
Chad LaRose, RW ($500,000/filed for arbitration July 5).

RETIRED
Glen Wesley, D.

x-Hurricanes have initiated buyout proceedings with Tanabe and would be responsible for two-thirds of his salary this season if successful.

How the Carolina Hurricanes’ salary picture stacks up as of Tuesday:

FORWARDS
Eric Staal, $5 million
Rod Brind’Amour, $4 million
Ray Whitney, $3.55 million
Justin Williams, $3.5 million
Matt Cullen, $2.8 million
Scott Walker, $2.5 million
Sergei Samsonov, $2.3 million
Tuomo Ruutu, $2.25 million
Patrick Eaves, $1.1 million
Brandon Sutter, $875,000
Ryan Bayda, $475,000
Wade Brookbank, $475,000

DEFENSEMEN
Joe Corvo, $2.75 million
Frantisek Kaberle, $2.2 million
Tim Gleason, $2 million
Niclas Wallin, $1.725 million
Anton Babchuk, $1 million
x-David Tanabe, $900,000

GOALTENDERS
Cam Ward, $2.5 million
Michael Leighton, $600,000

BOUGHT OUT

Jeff Hamilton, $600,000

TOTAL SALARY

$43.1 million for 20 players, with a charge of about $43.7 million against the $56.7 million cap. Carolina's budget has been set at $45 million.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (with 2007-08 salary)
Chad LaRose, RW ($500,000); Joni Pitkanen, D ($2.4 million); Dennis Seidenberg, D ($850,000).

RETIRED

Glen Wesley, D.

x-Hurricanes have initiated buyout proceedings with Tanabe and would be responsible for two-thirds of his salary this season if successful.

Where to begin?