2009-10 salary cap unknown at this point. It is likely that it will be similar to this year, but possible that it could decrease by as much as a couple million. The cap isn't really relevant to us except in that it is a measure of what a lot of our competition will be doing. I don't expect us to spend more than $50 million, but you never know given the extra money we made from our playoff run.

This year it was:
Upper Limit: $56,700,000
Lower Limit: $40,700,000

Currently Under Contract For 09-10 (One Way Contracts Only)

Forwards
Eric Staal - $6 million
Rod Brind'Amout - $3 million
Ray Whitney - $3.55 million
Matt Cullen - $2.8 million
Sergei Samsonov - $2.5 million
Scott Walker - $2.5 million
Patrick Eaves - $1.4 million
Tim Conboy - $0.5 million

Defensemen
Joni Pitkanen - $4 million
Tim Gleason - $2.5 million
Joe Corvo - $2.75 million
Frantisek Kaberle - $2.2 million
Niclas Wallin - $1.725 million

Goaltenders
Cam Ward - $3.5 million
Michael Leighton - $0.6 million

TOTAL SALARY FROM EXISTING CONTRACTS: $39.525 million (15 players)

Restricted Free Agents

Forwards
Tuomo Ruutu
Jussi Jokinen
Jakob Petruzalek

Defensemen
Anton Babchuk
Bryan Rodney
Brett Carson
Casey Borer

Unrestricted Free Agents on July 1st

Forwards
Chad LaRose
Erik Cole
Ryan Bayda
Michael Ryan
Dwight Helminen (Group VI)
Pat Dwyer (Group VI)

Defensemen
Dennis Seidenberg


2009 Entry Draft in Montreal - June 26-27

Round 1, Pick 27
Round 2, Pick 21
Round 3, Pick 27
Round 5, Pick 10
Round 6, Pick 27
Round 7, Pick 27

Possible Needs

-Shutdown defenseman
-Scoring winger

Prospects to Watch

Brandon Sutter
Zach Boychuk
Drayson Bowman
Chris Terry
Jamie McBain
Mike Murphy


Based on what JR said today, here is how I see the picture:

Ruutu - Back for sure
LaRose - Back for sure
Jokinen - Back for sure

Babchuk - No negotiations; he can accept his qualifying offer or go back to Russia

Cole - Will negotiate but not a priority
Seidenberg - Will negotiate but not a priority


Within the coming weeks we will have an answer on what coaching staff will be in place for next year. It is a safe bet that Mo will be back as head coach unless he turns it down.

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 4:41 PM. Reason : .]

5/27/2009 4:40:41 PM

1st reply

in on page 1

5/27/2009 4:58:11 PM

we should definately keep: LaRose and Jokinen, probably Seidenberg, Ruutu as well

still need a good D man and another high-scoring forward

5/27/2009 4:58:45 PM

love brindy, but that's a lot to pay for a 3rd/4th line center

hope he can return to form

5/27/2009 5:04:58 PM

Quotes from JR:

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/hurricanes/story/5225834/

Quote :

"“The one thing I do think we need to add in our organization is more size,” he said. “We have a lot of good players a lot of good players coming but we lack a little bit of size. That will be the priority going into the draft.”"

Quote :

"On Cole, who returned via trade this season, Rutherford said, “I thought Erik Cole played very well when he first came back. He didn’t get a goal in the playoffs. That was a little disappointing but he is a player we like.” He said Seidenberg “gave us a lot of good games but there was some inconsistency there.”"

5/27/2009 5:05:56 PM

older article, but does shed some light on the types of guys carolina looks for. Good read. If posted in one of the other threads I apologize.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2009/news?columnist=burnside_scott&id=4200217

5/27/2009 5:10:17 PM

i've said it before and i'll say it again

i'll order a LaRose jersey the minute he signs the contract

5/27/2009 5:10:35 PM

i think im going to go pick up a hurricanes hat I like at Dick's tonight. I havent actually tried it on yet though so I hope it fits ok, I hardly ever find hats that fit me right. must have an odd shaped head or something

5/27/2009 5:10:55 PM

^I have the exact same problem with hats. It's like 1/15 that actually fit me worth a damn. They either kinda poof up trucker style in the front, or there are two "dents" along the top/front section. I'm also thinking of buying some Canes gear from Dick's since hopefully the prices will start to drop.

5/27/2009 5:15:06 PM

hah yea that sounds like the exact same problem I have. I really don't want a like a lot of space/poof at all at the top, I like it to appear fairly snug. I've had this one hat for something since 10th grade and it fits me great, but is starting to look a little ragged so I've been looking for something that fits just as well that I might want to wear places that my other hat might not look as nice. I ordered a hat from the same company that made my old one, same style, material, size, etc. and it has that "poof" in it that my old one doesnt. maybe they just make hats different now ha. that canes one LOOKS like it will be a snug fitting style but we'll see...ok back to the Canes haha.

It was sad to see the RBC center change over today, It's been so nice to have Canes games to look forward to after work lately.

5/27/2009 5:34:00 PM

i, too, have a hat problem. i still wear my tattered hat i got 8 years ago because every other one sucks. i usually just wind up wearing them backwards

5/27/2009 5:45:15 PM

In on page 1. Please to not sign Cole...unless of course as an organization we have no plans on being in the playoffs next year. Please to sign Larose, Jussi, and Ruutu.

5/27/2009 5:58:24 PM

Seidenberg probably won't come back. I have a feeling that the Canes will try to give one of the D-men prospects a shot to make it in the big league.

5/27/2009 6:08:32 PM

Quote :

"Patrick Eaves - $1.4 million"

i had no idea

there is no way the canes should be paying an enforcee that much

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 6:15 PM. Reason : *]

5/27/2009 6:14:40 PM

Quote :

"i'll order a LaRose jersey the minute he signs the contract"

5/27/2009 6:20:10 PM

Quote :

"i'll order a LaRose jersey the minute he signs the contract"

5/27/2009 7:15:39 PM

dump Erik Cole.
sign LaRose
sign Juice
sign Ruutu
dump Bayda
dump Seidenberg
draft big defensemen that aren't lazy
win cup.

5/27/2009 8:15:33 PM

in on pg 1.

thanks for a good year canes, can't wait for next year.

i, too, would like to see Jokinen, LaRose, and Ruutu back.

5/27/2009 8:18:11 PM

Quote :

"i'll order a LaRose jersey the minute he signs the contract"

I've definitely been considering this for awhile.

5/27/2009 8:47:01 PM

LaRose has to stay.

Cole SHOULD go. I'm a big fan of erik cole, but he shouldn't be on this team... we traded him for a reason

5/27/2009 9:05:57 PM

MO MONEY FOR LAROSE!

5/27/2009 9:26:11 PM

Cole can stay if he learns a new move.

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 9:30 PM. Reason : though there's no way that will happen.]

5/27/2009 9:30:26 PM

My views:

Tuomo Ruutu - will be back (probably overpaid but not by TOO much)
Jussi Jokinen - will be back (should be multi-year at a decent rate, even with playoff stats)
Jakob Petruzalek - 2-way contract or GTFO
Anton Babchuk - very possible KHL candidate, sure he wouldn't mind playing elsewhere
Bryan Rodney - possible 1-way contract if Seidenberg goes away, should be cheap, might be a what the fuck were we thinking giving him a deal that long in a few years
Brett Carson - see Rodney (2 of these 3 are getting 2-way contracts at best)
Casey Borer - see Rodney

Chad LaRose - will be back, should get a paid multi-year deal (deserved, don't want to see him anywhere besides Carolina)
Erik Cole - waiting for him to get overpaid, his horrible playoff production should be enough to warrant us offering him a ludicrous deal. he might be gone though, and i won't be complaining.
Ryan Bayda - bye. no reason to bring him back we can fill the 4th line with equal or better talent for cheaper. he's not taking a 2-way deal, somebody will sign him for close to the minimum.
Michael Ryan - bye
Dwight Helminen (Group VI) - 2-way or highway
Pat Dwyer (Group VI) - see helminen
Dennis Seidenberg - gone. somebody will give him more than we will.

5/27/2009 9:39:26 PM

I'd guess that Babchuk will accept the qualifying offer. I think he really wants to be in the NHL as opposed to the KHL.

5/27/2009 9:47:41 PM

^agreed. bullish returning chemistry wherever possible. bearish on aged talent.

5/27/2009 9:52:04 PM

I personally would like to keep Seidenberg as I felt he was one of the few semi-responsible defensemen in the playoffs (especially after watching Gleason/Corvo completely fall apart this series). Part of me wonders if Brind'amour will retire. We benefit from the fact that his retirement I don't think we'd have to pay his contract (I can't remember the CBA) but do know it's a cap hit due to his age when he signed the contract (over 35), but being that we're never up on the cap it wouldn't hurt us. I wish we'd somehow get rid of Wallin and Kaberle, buy them out for all I care. Wallin was not that great in the playoffs and of course was far from the secret weapon he was supposed to be.

I hope we keep Babchuk as I think he was just nervous from his first time in the playoffs and I think he can be a clutch d-man for us real soon. With that slap shot it'll help our power play tremendously (which severely lacked down the stretch).

A must is to keep LaRose as he showed he belongs with this team and for the money he hoped to get this past year. If we resign Cole it better be for Patrick Eaves (~1.5) money and not anymore than that of Samsonov/Walker money (~2.5). I'm sorry but he was absolutely useless in the playoffs and as much as he helped us to get to the playoffs, he completely disappeared once we got there.

5/27/2009 10:56:00 PM

HD JUMBOTRON WATCH



(confirmed that we are getting one, at least there was a RIP SD Jumbotron 1999-2009 message on it at the end of the game last night.)

5/27/2009 11:19:17 PM

thank god. the secondary videoboards look like atari screenshots.

5/27/2009 11:24:10 PM

^^ PUMPED.

I'll be at preseason game 1 to view this firsthand.

5/27/2009 11:26:46 PM

i'll be in there as soon as they'll let people in to check that shit out. also PUMPED.

5/27/2009 11:31:31 PM

http://canesvision-hd.blogspot.com/

I hope they make it look cool and give it some sort of flourish and local character.

See: Charlotte Bobcats (first time I have ever referenced them as an example of doing something right)






[Edited on May 28, 2009 at 12:43 AM. Reason : .]

5/28/2009 12:41:11 AM

priority #1 should be resigning larose. that guy flashed pure talent this season. plus he looks like the hobbit.

i'll be interested to se if we add a defensemen in the draft or a scorer to hope to complement staal. listened to a discussion the other day about how hockey is moving towards an "offense wins championships" instead of the "defense wins championships" that has been prevalent, and i can see alot of evidence to support that. the league is doing its best right now to try and make it higher scoring, so its really allowing some offensive players to dominate the game.

5/28/2009 5:40:13 AM

if we draft a defenseman this year, chances are he will not help the team next year. This is hockey, not football or basketball.

5/28/2009 8:53:10 AM

Rutherford made it pretty clear that Larose will be back next year. He said something along the lines of, "Larose was a huge contributor for us and deserves a raise, and we will give it to him"

it was about as cut and dry as you could make it, he will be back

5/28/2009 9:08:00 AM

Oh they intend to re-sign him for sure. And then intend to offer him a substantial raise. Whether or not someone else intends to offer him an even more substantial raise is the question and whether or not he'd be willing to take a discount to stay.

A lot of teams will possibly be after him, and JR doesn't do the bidding war thing.

Oh and if he has Erik Cole's agent, he's screwed because we don't play his games too well.

[Edited on May 28, 2009 at 9:28 AM. Reason : *]

5/28/2009 9:28:18 AM

Quote :

"Cole SHOULD go. I'm a big fan of erik cole, but he shouldn't be on this team... we traded him for a reason"

If he signs for the right price, then he can stay.

5/28/2009 9:37:15 AM

I'd be ok with keeping Cole, provided he signs for 2mil or less. I know that probably won't happen, so.... See Ya! Enjoy falling down on new home ice.

5/28/2009 10:43:43 AM

since i have never owned a jersey before and most of you have, where should i go to get the best/most affordable LaRose jersey?

5/28/2009 3:52:51 PM

To be honest I would wait until after the season and keep your eyes peeled for great deals. After last season Finish Line put RBK Premier jerseys on sale for something ridiculous like $40. It cost me $75 at The Eye to have it sent off for stitching, but still, that's $115 for a stitched lettered jersey.

5/28/2009 3:56:28 PM

wow, that would be awesome if i could swing that

i'll be sure to keep an eye out. feel free to post anything if you see any deals like that

5/28/2009 3:58:19 PM

Juice wants to stay:
http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=424105

Quote :

"“The fans here are the greatest I’ve seen in any place in the NHL,” he said. “There are so many great memories. Obviously them singing my name during the national anthem is pretty neat and pretty cool.”"

love that.

[Edited on May 28, 2009 at 4:01 PM. Reason : quote]

5/28/2009 3:58:53 PM

PC with Rutherford and Maurice: http://hurricanes.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=684&id=42747

5/28/2009 4:26:03 PM

Page 1.

Also want LaRose jersey.

5/28/2009 4:44:14 PM

Quote :

"To be honest I would wait until after the season and keep your eyes peeled for great deals. After last season Finish Line put RBK Premier jerseys on sale for something ridiculous like $40. It cost me $75 at The Eye to have it sent off for stitching, but still, that's $115 for a stitched lettered jersey. "

are you that guy with your own name on the back of the jersey?

5/28/2009 5:09:44 PM

i HIGHLY doubt it

5/28/2009 5:11:40 PM

are you that guy with your TWW screen name on the back of the jersey?

5/28/2009 5:12:10 PM

Jonathan Samsonov

5/28/2009 5:28:20 PM

lol

5/28/2009 5:34:46 PM

Brian Thamthonov

5/28/2009 5:57:04 PM

omg! I just had the greatest idea for a jersey:

5/28/2009 5:57:11 PM