2010 Canes Off-Season Thread

[SoCalcaniac]

Originally Posted by ButtersSaysNo

Looking at facebook and some of the comments made about Canes makes me realize how "silly" many of our fans are. And when I say silly, I mean idiotic, delusional, don't have a clue, dumb dumbs.

You said a mouthful. I stopped reading the FB posts around the time we changed Captains; the posts you see are mind numbing, and truly made my head hurt. Everyone once in awhile I'll read something the Canes post, I'll see someone post a pretty thoughtful comment, and then make the mistake of scrolling thru the rest and that's when you just say, no more.

[livinthedream]

Gut-wrenching, for me.

nhl_canes: No decision yet for Brind'Amour. "I've never quit anything in my life. If I was to walk away today I would feel like I was quitting."

Originally Posted by SoCal

I think Chip wants to be a National Inquirer reporter in his next life; or maybe there is some hidden situation there:

Quote:
Sitting out final game, Brind'Amour said, "Not necessarily my decision" but said did have a groin issue.

This is one of those where I think I'm going to have to watch the video to understand the context on this one.

[ButtersSaysNo]

^ I hear you. He deserves the chance to come back if he wants to. I wonder what JR will decide.

I know Rod does not like attention and focus to be on him, but he needs to have at least 1 more home game in RBBC because he deserves a fitting send off from us Caniacs.

Having been a Flyers fan prior to our team becoming the Canes, I have been a fan of Brindy for a long time. His retirement, etc., whenever it comes, will be the hardest one for me to deal with for sure.

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by ButtersSaysNo

Having been a Flyers fan prior to our team becoming the Canes, I have been a fan of Brindy for a long time. His retirement, etc., whenever it comes, will be the hardest one for me to deal with for sure.

Same here. Been watching that guy nearly his entire career. I've skated on the same ice in both places. I've chatted with him numerous times. One of my all-time faves, going to be rough to see him call it quits.

OTOH, please don't drag it out. Go out while you can still play.
But yes, play at least one more game at RBC and market it as the last game so people can stand and pay tribute.

[KaniacFever]

I love Legace:

Originally Posted by ice_chip

Manny Legace: "I'd like to stay. That's a decision they'll have to make." Also noted Justin Peters played well when called up from Albany.

Originally Posted by ice_chip

Legace said he will continue to play "Until they tell me the fat goalie can't play anymore. The game is still fun."

[kermelbar]

^ Although if Manny has to go for that reason, Princess Marty has to go first ...

[livinthedream]

Well, let me be the first to say Ruuuu Huuuuu!!!

I realize these words are from Mr. Optimism here, but it sure sounds like this is less onerous than what I was expecting.

nhl_canes: Ruutu on team’s slow start: “In this league you can’t take nights off. You have to have bruises after games.” Says shoulder healing nicely.

ice_chip: Tuomo Ruutu surgery was to “tighten up” shoulder but said he is feeling good and will be fully healthy for next season.

[nccanes]

Boy Gleason is NOT comfortable in front of the camera.

And boy does Whitney seem surly. Don't think I've seen him quite like that. But I think the CanesVision folks must have clipped it. It doesn't include a quote chip tweeted.

[livinthedream]

Haven't gotten past Cam's exit interview yet.

[KaniacFever]

I know what i'll be doing tonight when I get home from work. Watching exit interviews

[ButtersSaysNo]

Originally Posted by nccanes

And boy does Whitney seem surly. Don't think I've seen him quite like that. But I think the CanesVision folks must have clipped it. It doesn't include a quote chip tweeted.

I'd be surly too after only getting 10pts in 21 games after the trade deadline. There were many evenings where I was more then surly towards Whitney the way he played the last few weeks.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Originally Posted by Guyute

But yes, play at least one more game at RBC and market it as the last game so people can stand and pay tribute.

If that happens I'll be shocked out of my pants. I don't believe he'd ever come back for just one game to allow it to be marketed as his last. And if he plays all season, I don't think he'll reveal he's going to hang 'em up until afterwards. It's just totally not his style. But I'd love to see it as well.

Can't wait to get home and watch these interviews, either! Hmmm...Came in at 6 this morning... I should cut out early....

[nccanes]

Originally Posted by ButtersSaysNo

I'd be surly too after only getting 10pts in 21 games after the trade deadline. There were many evenings where I was more then surly towards Whitney the way he played the last few weeks.

Yeah, but that aside. He didn't say anything the least bit funny or sarcastic, just not his normal m.o. at all. At least so me.

Again, it seems they clipped at least part of his (based on tweets) so who knows what we missed.

[SoCalcaniac]

Butters- QFT and I completely agree; something was missing from him after the trade deadline and that was slowly becoming disappointing to me.

E, I think they did clip the video- it ended way too abruptly; and you're right, he was not in the mood to be funny or quick witted. He was very short with his answers.

Watching that video of #13 was painful. He clearly looked like he was in a mood. I'm probably projecting, but it feels like a rift or some resentment. I dunno what the heck it is/was.

Watching these exit interviews so far has been a bit painful. Everyone looks so pained, as I expected them to. E's right- Tim Gleason would rather be anywhere than sitting and taking questions.

I like that Cam is rockin' the Rock & Republic tee.... these player exits are always a good time to check out what tee shirt a guy is sporting.

[c-girl]

Ruu should have been sporting a "Mita Tapahtun Helsingissa Jaa Helsinkiin!" tee shirt. I can't believe that LTD hasn't already gotten one to him.

[livinthedream]

Oh. Dude's getting a shirt. I'm just trying to figure out how to set up the graphic design layout to incorporate three wolves.

Y'all wake me up or text me or tweet me when his interview gets posted. I gotta get back to work.

[livinthedream]

But not before saying, uh, wow?

nhl_canes: The Hurricanes' four eldest players - Brind'Amour, Whitney, Legace and Pothier - could depart this offseason - http://carhur.com/874

In what could perhaps be a byproduct of a general movement towards youth, the future of the Hurricanes’ most-experienced players remained murky following exit interviews with the media on Monday.

Rod Brind’Amour and Ray Whitney, who are the among the team’s oldest players at 39 and 37 years of age, respectively, each face some degree of uncertainty as to whether they will be back with the team, or in the league, next season. Brind’Amour has one year remaining on his contract but could retire or potentially be bought out, while Whitney is an unrestricted free agent.

Both players said that they did not discuss their immediate futures with team management at meetings earlier this morning. Besides a brief affirmation that he would like to return, Whitney was reluctant to discuss the topic altogether, while Brind’Amour admitted to be struggling with the early decision-making process.

“My whole mindset is that I’ve never quit on anything in my life,” said Brind’Amour of potentially ending his career with time left on his contract. “To quit something that I haven’t finished is kind of weighing on me a little bit. If I was to walk away today, I’d be in my mind almost quitting. That’s kind of why I need some time.”

Despite his own uncertainty, Brind’Amour acknowledged that it may not be his decision to make. From his time spent on the ice each game to his new role as one of the team’s alternate captains, his role has steadily diminished over each of the last two seasons.

“I more than anyone probably don’t feel too happy with the way things went (this season), but that’s life and that’s the way things go sometimes,” he said.

Brind’Amour missed the last game of the year due a groin issue caused by ongoing problems with his hip, saying that it wasn’t necessarily his decision to do so. Prior to that, he had broken the 15-minute mark of ice time in consecutive games, a rarity since November, and had posted his first multi-goal game in over two years against Tampa Bay on April 6.

“It felt good to kind of get in the mix a little bit and feel like you can contribute,” he said. “That’s a positive thing for me, in my mind anyway, the way the last few games went for me until the very end.”

If this is indeed the end of his NHL career, that’s likely what he’ll hang on to from a difficult last few seasons.

”It was a year or two for me to forget more than remember, that’s for sure,” he said.

As for Whitney, there is little question that he still has a future in the NHL, it’s just a matter of where. The talented winger just posted his fourth consecutive season of 20 or more goals and has shown little sign of slowing down up to this point.

“My body feels as good as it did three years ago,” he said. “Once I’m not able to play at a high level then I don’t want to eke it out until the end.”

Long bandied about as one of the league’s top attractions at the trade deadline, Whitney admitted that he was indeed surprised that he remained with the team for the stretch drive rather than heading to another team, even though he held a no-trade clause at the time.

“I think everyone thought I was going,” he said. “I was surprised, but I wasn’t disappointed. I like it here and we were still making a case for ourselves, my family is here and my kids are here.”

Since he remained with the Hurricanes, the team will have exclusive negotiating rights with him ahead of the July 1 free agency period.

In addition to Whitney, the team has two additional unrestricted free agents in goaltender Manny Legace and defenseman Brian Pothier, both of whom indicated hopes that they could stay in the organization. Together with Brind'Amour and Whitney, they represent the four eldest players on the current roster.

“I’d like to stay, but that’s a decision they’re going to have to make,” said Legace, 37. “I think (Justin) Peters played pretty well when he got called up, so I think he made a pretty good case for himself for next year.”

“I’m at a situation right now where the financial side is not even close to the most important thing to me,” said Pothier, 32. “This is the kind of environment that I’d love to stay in. Not only at the rink but outside the rink, this city seems like it would be a phenomenal fit for my family.”

General Manager Jim Rutherford is expected to give his thoughts on the above players and the season in general on Wednesday morning.

[nccanes]

It's kinda sad that the you can just feel the emotion (and not the good kind) when you read Rod's and read Ray's (and I certainly got a bad vibe from the video of Ray) and Pothier and Legace are the good vibes. Not that Legace/Pothier have a big shot at staying here necessarily, but there's not the baggage I guess.

[livinthedream]

Yeah.

Strong words from Pothier after being here such a short while, eh?

[ButtersSaysNo]

In my 2 cent opinion:

- Let Peters play in Charlotte where he will get more ice time and bring back Manny for 1 more yr.

- Bring back Pothier for a year, he certainly seemed to mesh well and for the most part played pretty smart and well.

- Ray, I have mixed feelings about. The worse thing about him not coming back would be we did not get anything out of him leaving in terms of picks, younger players like we would have if he would have been traded. However, that is the risk you run as an organization by giving out a NTC.

- Rod, I want him to finish out his contract IF that is indeed what he wants to do. I think the pros of him coming back outweigh the cons and hope JR leaves the decision up to Rod and does not make it for him. While I could understand the decision if he is bought out, it would really irk me and would take some time for me not to dislike JR for doing so.

[KaniacFever]

Originally Posted by livinthedream

Yeah.

Strong words from Pothier after being here such a short while, eh?

After the trade went down, I went over to the Caps board. Pretty much all said that Pothier is a big family man, and they could see him wanting to stay in Carolina. Kind of makes it a feel good hearing those words from his mouth.

I honestly wouldn't mind having him back next year, but I wouldn't sign him for anything over 2 years and let's leave the NTC out. I think he could be a real benefit on the back end with Carson and McBain likely being here full time. Wouldn't mind seeing him make up the 3rd pair with Carson.

Brindy and Whitney are hard. It does seem like they had the bad vibes as Nccanes pointed out. I'll have to watch the videos but their comments didn't bring any good feelings into my bones.

This time of year, like the deadline, is exciting but sucks all at the sametime.

[nccanes]

Originally Posted by ButtersSaysNo

- Let Peters play in Charlotte where he will get more ice time and bring back Manny for 1 more yr.

I agree with this. I'm not sure how Peters will feel about it, but after seeing Cam's interview, it seems to me that no one really knows if/when Cam's back issue might resurface. It's great that he got thru this stint with no issues, but it certainly doesn't mean it might not flare up. Seemed like his comments said as much ("if I feel it this summer, I'll let the Hurricanes know.... etc)

[SoCalcaniac]

These nuggets of exit comments, especially from Ray & Rod are a little difficult for me too. The whole Rod thing is on another planet for me, and I'm still kinda grasping on that. Ray, I have all kinds of bad vibes about --- I think there is some kind of ugh laced in those comments. I don't know what it is, but it's not Pothier.


I'd be heartbroken for Peters because he really has shown that he can play; but I wouldn't be opposed to a one year for Manny. Jimmy Howard had been plying his trade in the minors for a few years until this season here in DET, and it didn't kill him; disappointed yes, but he's doing alright now. I hope the same for Justin if that's the way they go.

As for Pothier, I loved his comments and I'd love for him to get a contract. He is steady, seems like a character guy, and he definitely fits the mold of a Hurricane player. It would not hurt us to have a 30ish guy on the back end. He's under 35 not over, and he'd be good for however many young guys we end up keeping here.

[nccanes]

And leave it to MM to ask the most presumptuous question to Ray to start the whole thing off. "how quickly do you expect to get something done?".

[Scottysfistofdeath]

If Legace and Pothier want to stay, I think they'd be really good pieces to keep around- we need to keep some experience in our D if the club is going to roll with McBain and Carson next year (which I hope they do) and Pothier seems to really like it here- if he would take something club friendly he'd be a good, serviceable piece to the defensive corps.

I like bringing Legace back too- he's not a young guy but he's a serviceable backup, and Peters is better off getting the reps (if Mo continues his pattern of running Cam into the ground then Peters will get some chances anyways) but if Legace can keep his play up then he gives us a serviceable backup who should be able to give Cam days off without losing too much sleep and Peters as a good chip/option in case of an injury.

As much as I like Ray Whitney... MAN I would love to have Colten Teubert and a first rounder right now... IDK why he's saying he expected to be traded when he's the one who blocked it