Don't expect the Carolina Hurricanes to be active during the opening of free agency today. Even though Rod Brind`Amour's salary comes off the books with his retirement, (at least as far as the budget goes, it stays on the salary cap number), the team is still tight up against their self-imposed targeted budget number of $43.4 million, the mandatory cap minimum.
Brind'Amour's departure frees up $2 million of cash this season, but the team still is committed to over $42 million in salary so far (depending upon who makes the team), and the organization still needs to sign a few more players. Anton Babchuk will probably earn at least $1 million and backup goalie Justin Peters needs a contract as well.
Add in another defenseman or two (Brett Carson and ?), and the Hurricanes could easily be over $44 million.
Update--(Adding in Bobby Sanguinetti)
Check out the details after the jump:
| Player | Cap Hit 2010-11 |
Salary (Cash) 2010-11 |
||||
| Eric Staal | $8,250,000 | $7,500,000 | ||||
| Cam Ward | $6,300,000 | $5,000,000 | ||||
| Joni Pitkanen | $4,000,000 | $4,500,000 | ||||
| Tim Gleason | $2,750,000 | $3,000,000 | ||||
| Sergei Samsonov | $2,533,000 | $2,800,000 | ||||
| Tuomo Ruutu | $3,800,000 | $4,000,000 | ||||
| Jussi Jokinen | $1,700,000 | $1,900,000 | ||||
| Erik Cole | $2,900,000 | $3,000,000 | ||||
| Chad LaRose | $1,700,000 | $1,900,000 | ||||
| Brandon Sutter | $1,225,000 | $ 875,000 | ||||
|
Tom Kostopoulos |
$ 916,667 | $ 950,000 | ||||
| Patrick Dwyer | $ 500,000 | $ 500,000 | ||||
| Jay Harrison | $ 500,000 | $ 500,000 | ||||
| Jiri Tlusty | $ 500,000 | $ 500,000 | ||||
| Anton Babchuk | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Totals, (One Way Deals) | $37,571,667 | $36,925,000 | ||||
| Zach Boychuk (two way deal) |
$1,196,000 | $ 875,000 | ||||
| Drayson Bowman (two way deal) |
$ 846,000 | $ 637,000 | ||||
| Oskar Osala (two way deal) |
$ 850,000 | $ 785,000 | ||||
| Jamie McBain (two way deal) |
$ 850,000 | $ 635,000 | ||||
| Zac Dalpe (two way deal) |
$ 704,167 | $ 550,000 | ||||
| Jerome Samson (two way deal) |
$ 512,500 | $ 500,000 | ||||
| Bobby Sanguinetti (two way deal) | $ 855,000 | $ 765,000 | ||||
| Brett Carson | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Casey Borer | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Alexandre Picard | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Justin Peters | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Bryan Rodney | $ -- | RFA | ||||
| Totals, (Two Way Deals) | $ 5,813,167 | $ 4,747,000 | ||||
| Rod Brind`Amour **buyout | $3,500,000 | $1,000,000 | ||||
| Frantisek Kaberle **buyout | $ 733,333 | $ 733,333 | ||||
| Totals, (Buyouts) | $ 4,233,333 | $ 1,733,333 | ||||
|
|
||||||
| Grand Totals | $47,618,167 | $43,405,633 |
Obviously, not all of the players who have two-way contracts will make the team, but the Canes will need to fill in a roster of at least 21 or 22 players. The results of training camp will determine the actual budget. Either way, it does not appear that there is any room for the likes of a Joe Corvo or Brian Pothier. We will see.
For a look at future years, check out our, Hurricanes Unofficial Salary Chart.
Whether the Hurricanes are active during free agency or not, we will be watching here at Canes Country. An open thread will be ready to go starting at noon where we can discuss the results of "Free Agent Madness" all day long.
Where will Ray Whitney and Matt Cullen end up? And Ilya Kovalchuk?