Recently Jim Rutherford spoke with The News and Observers Chip Alexander. Some of Rutherfords comments seem to have been taken the wrong way by some who feel he isn’t doing enough.

It has been said that the Hurricanes are actually within reach of the playoffs but due to the number of games in hand that our opponents have the Hurricanes playoff chances are slim. Rutherfords mentioning of making trades that make “financial sense” scare many fans who translate that into salary dumps and throwing in the towel on this season.
Jim Rutherford would not sacrifice the teams playoff chances, however slim, as any chance of playing post season hockey means money. What Rutherford is saying is that he is not just looking at trades for the sake of trades.
Rutherford goes on to say that he is “more intersted in hockey trades and not deadline trades.” This is exactly what he should be doing. Dumping Ruutu, Gleason and others for trade-deadline headlines serves no purpose. These are players which can be traded to help build the team going forward. Keeping in mind that if the team saves money this spring it can go a long way to adding to the payroll this summer. While it may not translate to a dollar-for-dollar additions to this summers budget it helps in the longrun.
Another point to be made regarding the team’s budgeting going forward is that the ownership situation appears cleared up. Over the past several years owner Peter Karmanos had been looking for minority owners to invest in the team. Generally when this happens teams will make major cuts in budgets to make the bottom line look more attractive. This is why the Hurricanes have not spent much on players in recent years… ok I know it is not JUST that but it is certainly part of the equation.
Now that a list of new minority owners are aboard the team can spend more money on players right? No word from either Jim Rutherford or Peter Karmanos as to what the budgets going forward will look like though I don’t expect drastic changes, maybe a few extra bucks. I expect the next few seasons will start with a lower summer budget and if the team is moving in the right direction the trade deadline budget will increase.
The bottom line is that Jim Rutherford is now a part owner in the team and will do what needs to be done to put together a winning team.
Jim Rutherford also stated he was not making any calls. MMany seem to take this as him sitting on his hands. The truth is, as a seller, you rarely have to make any calls. Jim Rutherford is right to wait for the top bidders for the services of Ruutu, Gleason and others to slug it out. The last ones standing will make themselves known in due time. There is no rush on Rutherfords part to make a trade, the heat is all on the buying teams who need to make their moves before their foes do.
The break it down:
Ruutu, Gleason, Allen, and Spacek will be traded.
We will likely see a steady stream of picks and prospects in return.
There will not be a lot of glitz and glamour before the trade deadline.
The draft could see the Hurricanes make bolder moves.
No matter what happens hang on and enjoy the ride!

Note: I began this post a few days ago and put it on hold as I heard rumors of a trade close to happening. While a trade still could be in the works I got tired of waiting. The rumors these days, mostly via the internet, seem too good to be true… while I shouldn’t beleive them I find myself hopeful that they pan out.

Earlier this week the Hurricanes made their first move of 2012 in hopes of both building for the future and paving the way for the plethora of young soon-to-be NHL stars.

The past few weeks have been full of rumors and ‘hurry up and wait’ mentalities surrounding anyone following the Hurricanes. While Gleason and Ruutu are the most used names in the rumor mill Ponikarovy was the first Hurricanes NHL-er to be shipped out.

Ponikarovsky was traded to the New Jersey Devils, for a 4th round pick and minor league defenseman Joe Sova, minutes after the Hurricanes shut out the Washington Capitals on Friday night. Two nights before that however Jim Rutherford was able to land promising prospect Evgenii Dadonov from the Florida Panthers for Checker Jon Matsumoto. That trade included the aquisition of A.J. Jenks for Mattias Lindstrom.

Dadonov has proven that he is NHL ready and will likely be gunning for a spot in September in Raleigh. Matsumoto has his strengths but at age 25 was getting lost in the depth chart of centers the Hurricanes have been able to stock pile. Dadonov’s arrival does create some interesting questions for guys like Zach Boychuk who are poised to break through but just have not done so yet. Dalpe and Samson have shown their worth and are right along side of Dadonov in the running for forward spots next season.

By moving Ponikarovski out, Jim Rutherford dumped a little less than half of his $1.5 mill salary from the books and signaled a likleyhood that he will not be back next season.

Tuomo Ruutu, however, is very likley to be traded though there is hope that he may be re-signed this summer. Jim Rutherford has not tipped his hat as to whether he plans to bid for Ruutu this summer, and once Ruutu is gone via trade Rutherfard cannot likley discuss that until July 1st.

I keep playing around with my projections of the Hurricanes lineup for next season as it stands now and where the likley holes are for any moves going forward. This becomes tough because we all know the organizations feelings towards Chad LaRose but economically Patrick Dwyer makes more sense than bringing back LaRose for virtually the same position. LaRose is signed through next season at $1.9mill ($1.7 cap hit) but if Rutherford is clearing overpriced contracts off the books it is certainly one to take a look at.
Not to completely run LaRose out of town;
He is a solid coachable player.
Great on the kill.
Tons of energy and spirit.
He brings a lot to the locker room.
The Hurricanes are comepletely in the right to want a player likel that in the room. I take issue with LaRose playing top line minutes. I have always liked LaRose and felt he fits well with out team … as a 3rd line guy. I have never had confidence in top six minutes for LaRose, while you can certainly count on him to step up to the top six for injury situations.

Going forward with the roster, knowing the players that are likley to be kept and re-signed seems up in the air now. Sure Ruutu, Spacek, Gleason and Allen are likely to be dealt by the deadline but which of those players are going to be returning this summer? That list includes half of our defense and a solid top six winger. Couple that with the question mark over Pitkanen and the Hurricanes are poised for another interesting summer.

The Chicago Blackhawks just announced that winger Dan Carcillo will be out the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

How does this affect the Hurricanes?

Over a month ago Chicago was rumored to be interest, or at least a possible destination for Tuomo Ruutu.  For one reason or another a deal never materialized and other teams continue to line up in the rumors as destinations for the gritty Carolina Winger.  One has to think Chicago, currently second in the West (3rd overall) in the standings, is going to stock up on players for a long post-season run.  I would bet they would have to have their sights set on Ruutu now.

If I am Jim Rutherford my asking price for Ruutu just went up!

I have been holding off posting the past week as I have heard rumors of a pending trade. Assuming that was to happen I was going to post with my take on the trade. The trade rumor started out small, rental player for a pick type deal, that blossomed into a multi-player deal for two Hurricanes starters.

The crux of the deal was/is Gleason to Philly. While true it seems to have started out as an internet/twitter rumor it seems to have some traction. The truth is that Gleason, Allen, and Ruutu are very likely to gain some attention in the coming weeks for teams needing rentals. Spacek abd Ponikarovski will likely see interest as they too are pending UFA’s.
At this point I expect Jim Rutherford to listen to all offers. I don’t see Staal moving at all but I think Jim Rutherford will answer the phone if soeone calls for him and at the very least listen to the offer. That is to make the point that most everyone’s job is not very safe.
I would like to see Jim Rutherford try to re-sign Allen and Ruutu. I would stop short of calling them irreplacable though they bring a lot to this team and are on that bubble of being cornerstone players that have what we need going forward… grit.
Jim Rutherford is, as are most GM’s around the league, likely to get his dealing done early and not wait until the deadline. That seems to be the way of the NHL these days, though with the Hurricanes being sellars they are not in a hurry to snatch a rental up. I expect the Canes to be the bussiest at the Draft or right around that time..
With such drastic changes behind the bench over the past year I expect much of the same on the bench. Also with the ownershup situation straightened out the amount alloted for player salaries should bump up a bit, we still won’t be a cap team but we should move up from the floor… you gotta spend money to make money!

*forgive my errors, posted from an iPad

So Staal scores two and he’s back!

But is he back?

The truth is we need to judge over the next month to know that he is back, this type of thing is a retrospective point of view.  Staal’s three point night comes after a six game pointless streak.  He is still at a dismal  -21 for the season and needs a huge rally from here on out for a respectable season finish in that department.

For the record I truly hope he is back and hope he finds his way to having fun playing hockey.  I have to think if this recent game for him doesn’t turn the season around then little else will.  At what point does Jim Rutherford then at least entertain some of the calls he is likely getting for Staal?

An interesting turn of events over the past week, as the Hurricanes has amassed 10 points over the past 9 games since the win in Edmonton.

Are the Hurricanes buying into Muller’s game plan?

Are the players playing with more confidence?

Is there a sense of a collective push with Skinner and Pitkanen out?

Are Cam Wards new pads doing the trick?

4-6-2 is nothing to be excited about though the sense of optimism has Canes fans starting to enjoy the games again.  Attaining points in five of the last seven games, the Canes are fun to watch and fans are starting to get the feeling of the team’s ability to win.  The poor start to the season saw the Canes skating roughly 40-50 minutes a game very sturdy and hard, though not always able to close the deal on scoring chances.  All it would take is one breakdown and then another would quickly follow. In a matter of minutes and even seconds the games in October and November were lost. Many blamed coach Mo’s “system” for the downturn, though a system when followed either works or it doesn’t… it is never a case of working for only part of the game.  Jussi Jokinen talked about how Mo’s system works but the team did not fully execute it.  A new system is in place and the team is slowly getting to the point of executing it.  While no game is perfect, the team is skating for 50-55 plus minutes and the break downs don’t seem to be as jarring as they had been.  The team seems more composed when there is a breakdown and while it allows the opposing team a door back into the game (see NJ Devils) everyone, even the goalie, chips in to hold on for the win.

Speaking of puck-moving goaltenders, Cam Ward’s goal against the Devils really has the team feeling good.  Many players were abuzz about his goal after the game chirping around the locker room and having a lot of fun with it.  After watching it many times on the overhead view I still feel Sutter deflected it and was classy in stepping aside to give Ward the credit. It was a situation where neither player shot the puck and Sutter has, and will have, many goals in his career and to take this one away from Ward would serve no purpose… especially when the deflection was so minute no one could really argue what really happened.

I am hoping this Ward goal and overall good feeling gives the team a sense of holiday joy and renews the excitement of winning that many have not seen much of over the past few months.  The loss in Pittsburgh can likely be chalked up to the back to back as it was a close game through two periods.   The Canes were badly outshot though still within a chance to be right back in the game.  Historically the Canes are a second-half (season) team and a nice streak of wins will change the view of the direction Jim Rutherford takes before the trade-deadline.

Moves will still be made, though the “fire-sale” Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch suggest will happen is a bit premature.  I expect Jim Rutherford, prudent as ever, to make a few calculated trades to sure things up before working a major blockbuster trade.  The trade freeze has been lifted and a move may be forthcoming though I don’t expect to be wowed any time soon.

For now let’s enjoy the games and this fourth line production!

I want to begin my position with ProSportsBlogging.com by touching upon a few topics with the Hurricanes that leads us to this point in the season.  Follow me @johnnyghockey

Justin Faulk to WJC? 

Jim Rutherford has stated today that Faulk is staying on with the Hurricanes and not going to WJC.  Rutherford stated “We believe it is in the best interest of our organization and his development for him to remain with the Carolina Hurricanes this year.”  Joni Pitkanen’s concussion likely sealed Faulk’s WJC fate as Harrison is only just returning to the lineup and is said to be back at 100%; though it is always a tougher call when it comes to concussions.  Should one read into this as a way of saying that Pitkanen will be out for a long time?

Concussions

As mentioned Pitkanen and Harrison have suffered concussions this season.  The addition of Jeff Skinner to that list really changes the complexion of the make-up of the team, as well as the viewpoint of the concussion issue.  Jim Rutherford has long been a staunch supporter of head-shot/concussion issues in the NHL, this season has to get his ire up.  Though the hits to Skinner and Pitkanen are considered clean they still raise the question of ways to curb what is becoming a league-wide epidemic.  There is no quick fix, and no way to bring Skinner and Pitkanen back sooner, but this issue just sky-rocketed up to the top of the NHL agenda…hopefully.

Kaberle

Fresh off a Stanley Cup win and a likely anticipated exodus as the scapegoat for Toronto’s woes, Tomas Kaberle signed with Carolina with the hopes of quietly doing what he does best; power-play quarterback and offensive weapon from the blue-line.  Less than two months into the season Kaberle had worn out his welcome in Carolina and was shipped to Montreal.  The surprise here was not that Kaberle had played so poorly but that Jim Rutherford was actually able to find a taker for his contract.  If anyone was ever critical of Jim Rutherford’s job performance they had to give him full marks for that move.  The trade seems to have been good for Kaberle, as well as the Hurricanes return in the deal Jaroslav Spacek.  I have a feeling since that deal was completed Jim Rutherford has been breathing a little easier knowing he has that contract off the books and it is all now in the past.

 Coaching moves

While most NHL coaches are safe, there are many coaches in the NHL that wish they never answered their phone.  Coach Paul Maurice entered the final season of his coaching contract with high expectations though, despite where the true blame lies, Coach Mo is out of a job in Carolina.  I feel Maurice will be back in some capacity with the team, though it will likely not be behind the bench.  Kirk Muller was a surprise replacement and is in the early stages of getting the team back on track.  It is too early to assess how he is doing, though the general mood is upbeat and the team has been seen skating 60 full minutes per game.  Many of the problems the team had were not Mo’s to fault, though change was needed and unless there is a trade to be had that makes sense a coach will get the boot.

Trade winds…          

The Kaberle trade was one move that really showed the league that Carolina is in the market for deals, who is next?  The rumors suggest major moves but as we know rumors are 99% guesses and realistic moves tend to be off of the radar.  We can speculate Gleason, Allen, and Ruutu are garnering much interest around the league as playoff rentals.  A lot of the trades the Hurricanes make will be based on Jim Rutherford’s feel for expectations of this season and looking forward to the future.  Eric Staal’s name will inevitably pop up despite Rutherford’s insistence he will not be moved.  I feel at this point Staal, Ward, Sutter, Skinner, and Faulk will not be moved short of the deal of the century being offered.  Joni Pitkanen and Jamie McBain head up the ‘less-likely but not out of the question’ class.  Beyond that I would not be surprised to see most anybody else moved if and when the right deal came along.  The trade freeze is in effect and we can at least let the rumors simmer but I expect January to be an interesting month for the Hurricanes.  The big question is if the team is playing better how does that affect movement?  Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.

**Rating system for “Plus/Minus” Series**
+3 = Major Upgrade
+2 = Upgrade
+1 = Slight Upgrade
0 = Same as prior year
-1 = Slight Dowgrade
-2 = Downgrade
-3 = Major Downgrade

Team: Carolina Hurricanes
2010-11: 91 points, #9 in Eastern Conference

GOALIES

Returning: Cam Ward

Arrivals: Brian Boucher
Departures: Justin Peters

Grade: +1

Cam Ward was forced to play 74 games last year, in large part because Peters did not do a great job as a backup. Boucher will replace Peters and he should help bring Ward’s number down to about 65-70 games.

DEFENSE

Returning: Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason, Jamie McBain, Jay Harrison, Bryan Allen, Derek Joslin

Arrivals: Tomas Kaberle
Departures: Joe Corvo

Grade: +1

The biggest move was retaining Joni Pitkanen, but a close second was the signing of Tomas Kaberle. He takes a lot of heat but he’s actually a very effective player, especially on the power play.

FORWARDS

Returning: Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner, Brandon Sutter, Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, Chad Larose, Jiri Tlusty, Zac Dalpe, Pat Dwyer

Arrivals: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Anthony Stewart, Tim Brent
Departures: Erik Cole, Cory Stillman, Troy Bodie

Losing both Erik Cole and Cory Stillman leaves major holes in the Canes lineup. They better hope that Ponikarovsky can be a top 6 forward (I doubt it) and that one of Drayson Bowman/Zach Boychuk can play on the top 3 lines to start the season (more likely) if they have any hopes of making the playoffs. Carolina has a good young group of players, especially up front, but I would bet that they come up short once again in 2011-12.

Grade: -2

OVERALL RATING: 0
2011-12 Prediction: #8-#10 in Eastern Conference

The Carolina Hurricanes finished 2 pts out of a playoff spot in 2010-11, and are widely considered to be a team “on the rise”. They have a great mix of superstars, quality veterans and young talent, and players genuinely enjoy being part of the organization. That’s why so many pending UFAs sign there.

The Hurricanes are set in goal for the next little while with Cam Ward, although they don’t want him playing 74 games like he did last season. The defense will feature no changes, with anchor Joni Pitkanen recently signing a long-term deal to remain with the club. Given the large amount of cap space that GM Jim Rutherford has to work with, if Carolina is poised to be a playoff team, I would expect he would add a top 4 defenseman during the season. Up front, it’s too bad Erik Cole will not return, as that will leave a major void on Eric Staal’s right. Young superstar Jeff Skinner leads a group of prospects that will be counted on to play on the top 3 lines this season; a group which includes Zac Dalpe and one of Drayson Bowman/Zach Boychuk.

It won’t be a major problem, but the Carolina Hurricanes do need to keep an eye on the cap floor. They need to spend approximately $5 million to fill out their roster. The first order of business is to find a replacement for Erik Cole. There are not too many options on the UFA market, so a trade is possible if they don’t get who they want. The Canes will also be spending $1.0M-$1.5M on a backup goalie who can start a good 15-18 games; and there will be plenty of options available on July 1. Other than a couple of depth forward signings (wouldn’t rule out them bringing back Tlusty and/or Bodie), the Hurricanes won’t be overly active this offseason, as they have gotten most of their work done prior to July 1.

CAROLINA HURRICANES 2011-12 ROSTER (using CAPGEEK CAP CALCULATOR)

FORWARDS
Jussi Jokinen ($3.000m) / Eric Staal ($8.250m) / Tuomo Ruutu ($3.800m)
Zac Dalpe ($0.875m) / Jeff Skinner ($1.400m) / TOP 6 WING ($0.000m)
Drayson Bowman ($0.845m) / Brandon Sutter ($2.500m EST) / Chad Larose ($1.700m)
DEPTH WINGER ($0.000m) / 4TH LINE C ($0.000m) / Pat Dwyer ($0.625m)

DEFENSEMEN
Joni Pitkanen ($4.500m) / Bryan Allen ($2.900m)
Tim Gleason ($2.750m) / Joe Corvo ($2.250m)
Jamie McBain ($0.850m) / Jay Harrison ($0.700m)
Derek Joslin ($0.600m EST)

GOALTENDERS
Cam Ward ($6.300m) / BACKUP GOALIE ($0.000m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000
CAP PAYROLL: $43,845,833
CAP SPACE: $20,454,167

With the right signings, a healthy roster and continued improvement from their young players; the Carolina Hurricanes are on track to contend for a playoff spot in 2011-12. Watch out for rookie Zac Dalpe, he will see plenty of ice time in offensive situations and could be one of this year’s breakout players.

While the Carolina Hurricanes made an 11 point improvement in the standings over last season, 2010-11 will still be considered a disappointment after the Canes failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The ending was particularly painful.  Had the Paul Maurice’s club won their season finale at home against division rival Tampa Bay, they would have qualified for the postseason. Instead, the Carolina defense allowed too many odd-man rushes and quickly fell behind 3-0 en route to a 6-2 loss and an early trip to the golf courses.

Despite the bitter disappointment, there are some real positives that can be taken from this season:

1) The play of goalie Cam Ward: Ward served as a workhorse for the Canes, starting 74 of the club’s 82 games.  He finished with a 2.56 GAA and a save percentage of .920.  Most importantly, he kept his team in a lot of games they had no business being in. Ward faced more shots and made more saves than any goalie in the NHL this season. That being said, team defense has to improve next season if the team is to take the next step forward.

2) The emergence of rookie Jeff Skinner: Skinner led all first year players with 63 points and is the favorite for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Skinner was his consistency despite the fact that he was one of the youngest players in the league. He never seemed to hit the infamous “rookie wall.” He has the chance to develop into a special player but can he avoid the sophomore jinx?

3) Eric Staal: Staal was by far the Hurricanes best skater and team leader. He led the team in goals, assists, points, power play goals, shorthanded goals and shots. He missed only one game all season and if the Canes lost him for any length of time, they’d be in deep trouble.

4) The play of rookie defenseman Jamie McBain: McBain scored seven goals and 30 points in his first full season with the club. While he was inconsistent at times, he showed the potential to develop into a very good defenseman in Raleigh for a long time to come.

5) The coaching of Paul Maurice: Maurice had a team with little depth but managed to keep them in contention for all 82 games.  The Hurricanes stuck together through some tough times and because of their lack of scoring depth, Maurice had to do a lot of line juggling. More often than not, he found the right combinations.  He kept the club winning down the stretch when the pressure was on, at least until Game 82.

Team Awards:

MVP: It has to be Ward although Staal would be a close second.  Without the stellar play of their number one goalie, the Canes are an also-ran team.

Rookie of the Year: Skinner has to be the choice with McBain a distant second.  Not too many 18-year-olds score more than 30 goals in the NHL.

Unsung Hero: Erik Cole had 26 goals was second on the team in hits and led the team in game winning goals. Fans outside of Raleigh may not know much about him, but he was an important cog in the Canes machine this season.

Looking Ahead:

The Canes are not known for having large amounts of money to spend but there are plenty of needs to fill including a banger on defense and as much secondary scoring as GM Jim Rutherford can find. Rutherford will have his hands full trying to re-sign his own UFA’s, which include Corey Stillman, Cole, Chad LaRose, Jussi Jokinen and Joni Pitkanen. Brandon Sutter and Jiri Tlusty are RFAs so the team may look drastically different next season. Considering how much Maurice got out of this team and how few injuries they suffered, that may not be a bad thing.