A Little Memo for GM of the year JR

Hallelujah in the name of all that is Jussi Jokinen. Holy guacamole does this guy know when to score goals in the playoffs. Timmy Thomas, do me a favor and ask Marty Brodeur how his own heart tasted - because Jussi Jokinen will carve yours out with a spoon and feed it to you. That goal already adds to the instant classics from this post-season that shall live on in Caniac folklore forever:

So Jim Rutherford is getting plenty of sunshine blown up his butt here lately for being so shrewd as to shed two dead contracts - Wade Brookbank and Josef Melichar - while also adding Jussi Jokinen in the February trade. Add that to the unpopular (at the time) decision that Jimmy Boy made to can Laviolette in favor of Paul Maurice back in December. He traded for Erik Cole and immediately the team steamrolled into the post-season. Certainly a candidate for a GM of the year award, you think?

Something else he's golden at is contract negotiations with his players. Chad LaRose was at an impasse the summer of 2008 with signing his RFA deal to remain with the Canes. The stalled talks happened because Rutherford wanted to pay Rosey 4th line duty money - and Chad knew that he was worth more than whatever he'd get from JR. #59 was on the top line with Staal and Whitney for a good portion of the Devils series. GM Jim knew that he could pay so little to receive so much. While that sort of pisses me off because you all know about my absurd Chad LaRose man-crush - you have to respect a boss of company who runs it so successfully while staying so frugal in this craphole of an economy.

So LaRose only signed a one year deal at .875mil and will be an un-restricted free agent this summer. After having a career year and being a key cog on the team for three seasons - he could easily choose to sign somewhere else where they'd pay him what he deserves.

But I wouldn't count on that happening. My boy Jimmy will probably figure out a way to keep him, Ruutu and Jokinen on the team and still stay low-budge.

Rutherford to Staal: Me love you long time

A "surprise" press conference has been announced this morning in reference to a "major player announcement". E Staal is about to get paid, son. Will update later this PM.

UPDATE -- Make that 7 years, $57.75 Mil. Daaaaaaaaaamn that's a good chunk of change!

850 The Buzz & My Boy Jimmy answer everything

As this post is being typed, I'm listening to the lengthy interview of Jim Rutherford today by Adam Gold & Joe Ovies on 850 the Buzz. Must say that it is rather outstanding, as they ask the Canes' GM all the burning off-season questions:

The Return of Captain Hot Topic and his ability to play left, right or center if needed. All signs have pointed towards O'Neill looking sharp in Camp Brind'amour.

The health of Matt Cullen and his dome-piece / skating / "feeling great. 100%".

David Tanabe is expected to come to training camp. If the team could legally buy him out they would have, so the only thing JR can do - is expect Avi to show up to camp in three weeks. Check out D-Lee's coverage on the Tanabe situation over this summer, he's been following it closely.

Rutherford on Brandon Sutter - "he's got a chance to make the team" - COI Translation: Sutter will be a Carolina Hurricane this year, you can bet your first born on it.

AG & Joe Ovies do it respectively as always, but certainly didn't hold much back for this interview. Towards the end of the clip, the conversation shifts to the fact that since the championship 2006 season - it's been two dissapointing, playoff-free years in a row.

Listen to the rest over at 850's site. It's certainly a good listen.

Is it just me, or does Jim Rutherford sound like the years have taken its toll on him? Listen, I'm a huge JR fan and there is a reason he's the longest tenured NHL GM. Perhaps it is just this YouTube clip that makes me think he's still a strapping young lad.

On both sides for Coach Lavi's job status

Well then, at least the GM of the Hurricanes isn't trying to blow smoke up your butts in this time of Caniac depression.

Today, management held a press conference and nobody had asked my boy Jimmy about Coach Laviolette. Nobody had asked that is, until your boy Joe Ovies at 850 the Buzz chirped in with your money quotes:

for Rutherford, “everyone in our business is under review.”

-- Damn right! Everyone within the organ-eye-zation in one way or another is responsible for what happened.

"and into other interesting side issues such as David Tanabe’s status."

-- Does anyone else find it astounding that he was gone most of the year with a concussion from a hit that no one ever saw happen? As much ambiguity as the team showed with Matt Cullen's concussion(s), why was a team veteran's status - liked by the fan base or not - not communicated with the Caniac fan base?

Here's the argument on even keel for whether or not to can Coach Laviolette, better than I could ever explain myself:

Dr. Frank Lives:
Peter Laviolette did not trade away Jack Johnson.
Peter Laviolette did not sign Geoff Hamilton.
Peter Laviolette did not injure Justin Williams, Rod Brind’Amour, Chad LaRose, David Tanabe, Matt Cullen and Frank Kaberle.
Peter Laviolette DID coach us to a Stanley Cup two years ago.
Ridiculous to even consider firing the guy.
RIDICULOUS

& on the other side:

Canes1863:

I too wondered why coach L. changed the chemistry of the team when it was playing it’s best hockey of the season. That said, was he to sit Whitney and Williams, two of our best players? If things had worked out, nobody would have any problems with that decision.

The fact that Petey will start the 3rd year of his 5 year deal next season might be a factor here, but I'm pretty sure he'll be riding the Stanley Cup winning coach grace period for at least a few months into next season. But either way, I do believe I'm on Dr. Frank's side here.

We Already Knew Jack Johnson Was A Punk

...but now he's gone and proved it to Ryan Smyth.



"There should've been padding on that post"....blah blah......that goes along really well with "he should've had his head up". The point is, Johnson knew damn well that post was there and he should have let up. He also didn't have to go adding insult to injury by throwing up his elbow at the end of the check.

Yes, hockey is a violent sport and that's part of the draw but, do some of these punks like Johnson and Brooks Orpik have to add to danger?

On the flip side, the Hurricanes are once again shining in the light of a trade, as Tim Gleason has really matured this season. The Rangers game without him in the line-up really showed how big a void he left. When he returned against Tampa, they were shut down after one, and Gleason had a lot to do with that. I guess, despite Caniacs early mumblings during the Canes' mid-season slump, JR might actually be the trade genius we thought he was.