Ex-Phantoms Reunited - Dennis Seidenberg Signed for 1.2 Million

any word on who those teams might be, Bubba?

Hey Bubba, Thank you again for all your hard work on this blog! Will you be able to check out any of the Development Camp this week? I know you have a life outside the Canes, was just curious :-)

Where does Kaberle go?? There’s no telling what JR will come up with.. I can only offer what I’ve seen on various internet postings which is that 2 different sites list Ottawa as a possibility. One scenario lists Kaberle as 1 of 2 low cost options for the Senators…the other being Kevin Bieksa (Canucks). The cost of Bieksa is Antionne Vermette alleged. But for speculation I’ll take Vermette even up for ol’ Frank any day.

I also heard about Ottawa’s interest. Atlanta is another possibility. I read something crazy somewhere that said Toronto may want to bring him in to play with his brother.

I also read something about another team mentioned as well but can’t remember which specific one at the moment.

I think the Canes would be happy to get a draft pick or two for Frank, but you never know.

Sunny- I am going to try to make it over to the rec zone at some point later this week, but I’m not sure of my schedule yet. Still playing catch up here.

Pitkanen and Corvo would make geat line mates and Seidenberg and Babchuk would also make good line mates

i do not think Kaberle will go back to Atlanta

canescup,

I don’t think so. Corvo and P on the power play, but I’ll bet Babs get’s the run with Corvo and they try the P and Dennis team up.

That does leave a double up for grabs, I think they will float the pairings with the starts given to the pairings I mentioned, but just like they did the forwards on the PP, I think Lavi (who I still think should of been canned two years ago…) will get stuck working with what he has. He has a better roster this year, he’s got a salary kick in the crotch (should be 5 mill more if you wanna play for real), he does have the luck of being in the leeser conf and the worst div. so that leaves only washington as the real threat to being where we were last year. The best worst team. So we have a better chance than last year at making the PO’s from the start…..If Roddy can come back and own the face offs. If they don’t at least have that card they are in trouble. ‘Course then you can look at the teams that actually want to win and when you match up most of the teams that spend over 50 mill, we are toast, no lucky BS win like the last, first one. Be thankful they won’t play the real teams this year, Detroit, San Jose, Dallas, Chicago (did I say that?…).

Should be a good year, but we have No, zero, nada, ain’t gonna happen and blame Karmanos ‘cause the cup ain’t in the cards unless there are some serious fatal bus and plane crashes that take out whole teams.

If you don’t play to win, you are a loser.

Losers, again this year, hope we can beat the crapitals and wipe our losing butt’s with the lightning. Sold my season tickets, though. If Karmanos won’t spend the money to win, I dang sure won’t spend it to watch them lose. I can watch the winners on Center Ice and rink good scotch all year long with the money.

Think about it…

A

ouch.
whats the point in having that point of view.
does it feel good to make hopers feel like idiots.
i got good expectation for this group.

and im glad i dont share your opinions.

-C

I think Paladin is speaking at a very loud volume with his pocketbook. It is dscouraginga tht tickets will rise 10% and our budget to compete wont. PK is unwilling to spend on making this a competitive team. Why should we spend on our much harder to come by dollars to watch a pieced together roster, when in fact we could have a much stronger club if he would be willing to spend up the 50 mil mark. I am dissapointed with Karmanos’s approach and now that he has decided to take an active interest, It is only going to go down hill.

I think that JR and Karmanos have done a great job assembling playoff caliber teams year after year. They are fiscally responsible. You can’t judge who is going to go far in the playoffs before the preseason even starts… what happens when one or 2 of those 5 million dollar men go down with an injury, or they don’t play up to expectations? The Red Wings won the cup this year “on the cheap” for who they had playing for them.
As for “Real Teams,” EVERY team is a real team, a potential giant killer. 2002 cup run, for example. It is what I like about hockey – it is organized chaos, unpredictable, and meshes speed with brute force in a way that no other sport does. And they still make REAL trades, unlike the other major sports. For the front office, it is like a chess game, and JR plays with foresight and fiscal responsibility.

Marc,

I don’t see how your first sentence is true. If you look at it like this 2002 = Playoff and an SCF appearance, 2003 no playoff and dead last, 2004 no playoffs 10th seed, 2005 lockout, 2006 = Playoffs and the Cup, 07, no playoffs, 08 no Playoffs. He has assembled two playoff teams in the past 6 playing years. 02 was more luck than skill on the front offices part. Our cup win was the only time I saw JR really play the cards like a pro. Since then he has consistently traded away our future for a win now approach. The only problem is, we didn’t win. I hope like crazy we ice a playoff squad this year. However, if we don’t this team, will have a fire sale and we won’t see the playoffs in Raleigh until at least 2011.

its so easy in hindsight to bash the coaches for doing a bad job on the no play off years..
i alittle too easy id say.

whats really the difference between playoffs and no playoffs?
a few games?
last year… one game?

one different game and youd be saying a different story.

I am bashing the GM and the owner here, not the coach. I think JR has walked away from alot of young talent because he is impatient. Marc referenced Detoit in their ability to when a cup on the cheap. They are able to do so because they actually GROW their talent pool with smart picks that are given time to develop. They make smart picks because they have a respectable scouting staff, something which we have always been woefully undermanned at. The front office deserve alot of credit for our Cup win. They deserve equal blame for the fact that was bookended by to non playoff years on either side.

Detroit’s scouting staff is #1 and it is tough to compete with a team that selected Zetterberg around #200 and Datsyuk around #150 (forget the year). The trick is to find the diamonds in the 5-8 rounds that end up producing at the NHL level.

There are a lot different styles and approaches that GM’s take. Like I said, it’s a chess game. For years I watched the Whalers flounder around near the bottom – they never spent money, never won much. They always seemed to draft well, and then couldn’t afford their players when they actually started to command a salary. Players actually refused to play there (Shanahan et al). I also grew up a Rangers fan, where year after year the GM’s (Neil Smith included)
made those huge signings and constantly mortgaged the future. It bought them 1 cup in over 55 years. The Buffaslugs always somehow seemed to make the playoffs on cheap, youthful, inexperienced talent that went nowhere when they demanded bigger contracts and moved elsewhere (Shields, Mogilny, Hogue).
The ‘Canes are fiscally responsible, don’t mortgage the future like the Rangers did, and players actually LIKE playing on this team. They want to stay here, and want to work for the organization when their careers are done. I would rather have this GM than Bobby Clarke or Snow.

I hope the hurricanes trade Wallin and Kaberle for tod brutssi or a 1t and a second round pick that way we ca get rit of them both

…Detroit is just the ultimate example of how to run a successful hockey team. As for having a playoff team only 2 times, I don’t think Rutherford has tried to put together a team that WOULDN’T make the playoffs. Again, hindsight is 20/20. I never understood something, though – if injuries are never supposed to be an excuse for a team’s poor performance, than why is it always used as a means of explanation when a team that is SUPPOSED to win a playoff round doesn’t? Like Buffalo in the Cane’s cup run, or as an explanation why the Hurricanes went so far in 2002? Luck does have its place, but the truly great teams have a way of playing through their own bad luck / capitalizing on good luck. Therefore, like the injury excuse, it either should matter or not.

My head is spinning – good discussion, though.

Marc,

I’ll agree on your final sentence for sure! Throw Reiger in that list as well. I guess I am disappointed to see the consolation prize for a couple of bad Seasons Ladd and Jack Johnson, gone for the return we got. I think we could have had more for both (even if Jack Johnson aint exactly turning out to be the stud everyone predicted)It also bums me out that we are going to have to let players like Rosey walk due to a self imposed cap 10 million bucks under the league imposed one. I understand we aren’t making a killing in the market, but you have to spend money to make money. I don;t want to sound like I am totally negative on the team we have right now, I just worry that this franchise is at a major crossraods right now, and I don;t want to see us going down the wrong path.

I think JR is always focused on putting a competitive team on the ice with the budget room to add players for a cup run, ie Recchi and Weight. BTW think Recchi regrets not signing with us after ‘06? Both he and Weight have signed with one team, traded to another, and signed with another this year. I think the fans of about 28 teams would prefer JR to their existing GM. Plus if we were perennially making the playoffs PK wouldn’t be so reluctant to push budget up to 50 mil. Most clubs in the NHL only turn a profit when they make the post-season. Besides, what free agents out there would you feel comfortable paying big money too? Hossa? No thanks. Sundin? ditto. The big money is being earmarked for Staal. Now if he walks, then we have reason to bitch and complain. Rutuu has to opportunity to pick up where Cole left off; creating space for the franchise. I know one thing, this team is a lot tougher than last year this time. Here’s hoping for a post season run in ’09

If you ask anyone associated with the Canes, they will tell you that Jack Johnson would never have signed with us. In fact, I was told that his father told us not to draft him in the first place, b/c he wouldn’t sign with us.

I do agree Wylde; I got sick of what was happening in Hartford and NY. (Hearing Islander fans cheer “1940” over and over, and hearing more cheers for opposing teams in Hartford tends to set one off a bit). I do hope that Karmanos and Rutherford understand when it’s time to loosen the purse strings a bit. I like Rosey and that type of player in general. I’m big on intangibles, and he brings a ton of them. I was sorry to see Ladd go as well – he’s another that I would have liked to stay around.

Swenk,

I agree that JJ was not signing with us. That is almost a given. That being said, I think if JR had taken a little more time, he could have found a better deal. I may be wrong, maybe he had to ask for less in order to roll in that Turnoverdovsky Salary dump.

I don;t think I was very clear on one of your points. I never wanted us to make 1 or 2 big splash signings. But, I think using that extra money to make 2 or 3 more smaller signings and trades would be nice.

wylde4,
Hopefully, Timmay Gleason will develop into a top tier defensemen and make JR look real smart in retrospect. Seems to me we have a ton of second tier players, williams, roddy, sammy, rutuu, whitney, cullen. We have only one legitimate top tier player…Staal, here’s hoping JR locks him up for life by end of next season. Plus, if Pitkanen continues to develop as projected we will have a legit top pairing with him and Gleason. Another thought, I believe that this is the year JR originally projected Cam to become a starter…. Man, what great discussions…can’t wait till October

Swenk,

I agree, I think our strength is that we have alot of forwards that are just below the top level, that helps keep payroll reasonable and performance up. I really hope Pitkanene turns out to be a stud with us. I was sad to see Cole traded but I am not wholesale upset with the trade. I think our Blueline was an obvious place of concern. I would have preferred to see the trade get us big time Shutdown guy and Big 4th liner, but another PMD is ok to.

Cam will either have a big year or find himself on the outside 365 days from today! I think it is do or die for a couple of folks this year. Wardo, Coach Lavi, and even Ruutu. Heres to hoping it is all "Do.

I agree I am ready for the puck to drop and see what we are going to look like.

Swenk & Wylde, I agree wholeheartedly. It will be interesting to watch – once again, even though the ‘Canes didn’t make the playoffs last year, I’m looking forward to this season upcoming season, especially that first game against Tampa (talk about GM’s Gone Wild!)

I didn’t thank Bubba yet for keepin’ on in the face of vacation. THANK YOU!

That;s the best thread i have read here, to date!! I think we all are a little irked at something the ’Canes org has done or not done. Growing up in Detroit was a great for getting into hockey (sucked for most evrything else). When the franchise came here, I was stoked. keith the puke primeau showed that even if the fans started to roll around maybe the team or management would bungle this opportunity. Build it and we came, the players are starting to like it, other teams are starting to dislike our house. We have all the pieces in place for a long fun future. I hope the big boys have a plan for success.

What would you do if the team fails to make the PO’s this year?

Do you blame and whack the coach?

PK step and spend more?

After he lost a truckload of money in the share deal for 3 yrs running…..

This is the year the ‘Canes have to step up like they did in the Cup run and early this year. The kids like Sutter, Nolan, et al have to step up and get in the game/league. The staff has to get them ready and in the mix. Tampa will (I hope) come out of the gate slow, but they will be similar to the pens last year. Once they find the magic, they are going to be tough. The Craps will be better than they were last year, a only a little less talent in net. That’s maybe 16 games that are going to be PO hockey during the year.

I really am a fan, I just see PK asking for 10% and not giving much more than minimum league standards.

He’s losing money, you raise prices and attendance drops, he loses more money. God knows they can’t ask $10 for beer, or is that coming too?

It sounds like most of us have seen the good and bad in the NHL.

I have never seen a crowd like we had during the cup run.

If they would of asked for donations at the door to buy players or to just roll naked in. I think the fans would of thrown money at them. Now I think the fans are getting a little irked.

God’s help us.

We are turning into …montreal……..

Keep up the good posts and try to tolerate my piss-amism.

oh, and don’t let us become like some of those uber Northern nut jobs.

A

Paladin, I like our chances with Washington. Theodore has always been our b***. Hopefully that doe snot change. Tampa leaves me scratching my head. It seem sthe new ownership strategy is spray and pray! If we sign as may players as we can some of them may just work out. It is funny how they seem to be a stomping ground for ex Canes, Vrbata, Stiller, Rex, and Hutch. To bad Pavel Brendl just signed in the Continental League or they could have swooped in and grabbed him too. I think Big Joe is still on the market, as is Hedi!

Heh, heh… I like that.

hedi’s headed west..

Wish we coulda signed his ol’ lady, she’d skate circles around him.

Not much of a hitter, though……

Heck, I hope they find a way that makes them and the kids happy.

I hope PK finds a way to make us and the team happy, too.

Another cup would make me eat my words….

A

P.S.

As long as Federov and AO don’t find some magic like they both can, I to think we will play them well.

I think us, them or if tampa get’s on a roll will be the three. The cat and thrash are in for another bummer year.

BTW someone printed buffaslugs.

I also hope hope we own those pukes, I thought Detroit fans were bad(I still feel bad when it’s like a home game for Detroit when they come in, lot’s of Wing’s fans around here), trhose folks suck.

I think a losing season in at least the 80+ point realm will not be bad if we can stir up some good hockey against some key clubs.

Like how Chicago plays Detroit. I have to look it up, but I think they had more W’s against the Wings than anyone. They made a pretty good splash and got a good boost on a losing season.

We shouldn’t shoot for that, but that has to be at minimum, what we accomplish.

And screwing around with Rosie, sign him or whack him, he at least deserves and has earned a straight answer on whether he staying. Someone mentioned his performance end of last year. I agree, he did well. He earned respect and right now it looks like he isn’t getting any.

Just another whine…

Yea I’d like some cheese with it.

A

A

anyone who thinks spending the cap = results only has to look at the rangers as a prime example of why that thinking is wrong. Montreal also doesn’t spend the cap, and they field a good team. Dollars don’t buy results, if they did, then tampa would win the division this year by default.