Posted: 5/28/2009 by Brian LeBlanc
Ten questions discussing the just completed 08-09 season and the upcoming 09-10 season...
Will Paul Maurice and the coaching staff return next season?
If Jim Rutherford's the one making the decision, this is a no brainer. The coaching staff took a team that occupied tenth place in the conference as late as February 15th and not only got them into the playoffs, but led them to a berth in the conference final. Maurice seems to have realized that this might be the place where he'll be the most successful after a tough couple of seasons in Toronto, and the only teams with coaching vacancies (Minnesota, Calgary and probably Colorado) don't seem like natural fits for him the way Toronto did. Expect the entire staff to be back next year, with the possible exception of Ron Francis if he prefers a front-office job to a coaching position.
Will Rod Brind'Amour be back next year, and if so will he remain the captain?
Let's get the second part of the question out of the way first: if Brind'Amour returns, he will wear the C again. There's not really any good reason to put both offensive and locker-room responsibilities on the shoulders of Eric Staal (the obvious heir apparent) if Brind'Amour can handle one of them.
As for the first, I believe Brind'Amour will indeed return. Cam Ward unknowingly admitted this at his press availability today, saying he expects a phone call from Brind'Amour inviting him to work out sometime in the next couple of weeks. Brind'Amour never really recovered from his ACL injury in 2008 until late in the season, and he seemed to find his rhythm on the fourth line after being sent home from a western road swing in February to rest a wonky groin. He's too much of a competitor to go out on this note, and he'll be back in whatever role the Canes ask of him.
What's the top priority for the team in the offseason with regard to their own free agents?
There are two, re-signing Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu. LaRose earned a hefty raise after receiving a prove-yourself contract last offseason, and should be back next year as both he and the team believe that this is the best place for him. Ruutu could be a bit more contentious, especially given his already-high salary and his tough negotiations in the past, but he's versatile enough that Rutherford will make every effort to get him back in the fold.
Assuming not every free agent is re-signed, who will be the odd men out?
The most likely candidates to be wearing different sweaters next year are Erik Cole and Dennis Seidenberg. Cole did nothing to earn a raise from his $4 million salary, and is almost certainly in line for a pay cut no matter where he ends up. He would have to take a significant cut -- perhaps as much as half his salary -- to stay with the Canes. (That said, his sojourn in Edmonton could convince him to stay in Raleigh for less money, simply because he's in his comfort zone here.) Seidenberg will be the victim of a numbers' game. Someone will overpay him ($2 million?) and the Canes will hope that one of the guys in the minors will be able to step in and provide similar play at a cheaper pricetag.
What do the Canes need on their roster that was missing last season?
In a word, size. As has been the case for a long time, the Canes were subject to being pushed around by more physical teams. The LaRose/Ruutu types are good at pestering the opposition, but they lack the big defenseman who can turn games around with a well-timed hip check. (More on this below.)
What rookies might crack the lineup next season, and what's the status of Brandon Sutter?
A lot depends on who leaves in free agency, but I expect at least one hole on the blue line to be filled by either Bryan Rodney or Brett Carson, AHL players this season who looked serviceable in brief stints in Raleigh. Depending on what happens with restricted free agent Anton Babchuk, who may have played himself out of a contract in the playoffs, both Rodney and Carson (and maybe even Jamie McBain or Casey Borer, injured in Albany's February bus crash) could see significant time next season.
Sutter will more than likely begin the season in Albany, for two reasons. One, Paul Maurice didn't feel comfortable putting him on the ice in the thick of a playoff race late in the season, figuring that his need to bulk up would present problems as the season entered crunch time. Second, he is still on his entry-level contract, meaning he can move back and forth between Raleigh and Albany without clearing waivers. It's likely that he will make an appearance with the Canes next season, but unless he comes into training camp with a lot more muscle than the string bean we last saw in Raleigh, he will spend most of next season with the River Rats.
Was the Canes' deep playoff run a flash in the pan or the start of a sustained period of success?
It might be a little bit of both, and a lot depends on how the Canes' prospects develop next season. On the one hand, the majority of this year's team will be back next season, and with a full year of Maurice behind the bench they will likely play the same way next season as they did last year, with stingy defense and determined cycling in the offensive zone. On the other, and this is where the youth development comes into play, the Canes are looking at a situation in the 2010 offseason where Matt Cullen, Ray Whitney, Scott Walker, Joe Corvo and Frantisek Kaberle are all unrestricted free agents (and, perhaps most importantly, Cam Ward will be a restricted free agent). The Canes won't have long next season to get off the ground, because if they start slowly the pressure will be on to call up youngsters and get a handle on what the Canes have in their pipeline for the following season.
Have Cam Ward and Eric Staal proven themselves as top tier NHL talent?
As if a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy, an All-Star MVP award, a 100-point season and a 40-goal season between them don't do the trick? Yes, they're the cornerstone of the franchise, and Jim Rutherford has already committed to having them both around for a long time. It's entirely possible that Ward could receive a contract extension the way that Staal did last offseason before the 09-10 season begins, and expect him to make pretty good money. The Canes are committed to not losing either of them to free agency, no matter the price.
Can the Canes succeed again with a journeyman defense like they had this year, without spending too much money in free agency?
Unless the Canes draft a stud defenseman -- no sure bet, especially given they'll be picking 27th in the draft -- they'll need to make do with what they have. Frantisek Kaberle will certainly be dangled, for the umpteenth time in the last three season, but he won't return much in a trade. Joe Corvo could return more, but at what cost to the Canes' offensive production? The budget likely puts the Canes out of the conversation for the big-ticket free agents (read: Jay Bouwmeester) and if they sign anyone, it will probably be a one-year deal for a guy like Adrian Aucoin who isn't in line for a raise and won't be in much demand.
At the end of the day, what's the verdict on this season? Was it a success, a failure, or somewhere in between?
Ask the players, and they'll tell you to a man that any season that doesn't end with the team lifting the Stanley Cup is a failure. That's what they have to say. But according to anyone else, it's tough to characterize this season as anything other than a great success. You can certainly forgive the Canes for running out of gas against Pittsburgh, given their incredible run to simply make the playoffs; they were playing playoff games for the better part of three months, where any loss could have spelled disaster for their postseason hopes. It sure was fun to watch this team come together and make a run like this, though, and the unexpected nature of the playoff games provided great theatre and reminded everyone of how much fun playoff hockey is, and how much it hurt being out for two straight seasons.