Hurricanes
Canes cap woes need creative solutions
By Mike Maniscalco Nov 19, 2009
Raleigh, N.C. — It has been the perfect storm, and not the good kind, for a team called the Hurricanes.
A terrible start to the season put the Canes at the bottom of the league, and injuries are now nipping at the snake-bitten team. The latest casualty is goalie Michael Leighton, who suffered a “lower body” injury in Carolina’s 3-2 shootout loss at Montreal.
Leighton, coming off his first win of the season against Minnesota, looked sharp in 27:12 of work against the Habs when the injury occurred. He had to be replaced by Manny Legace and left the Canes with just one goaltender on the roster.
Now it's not as easy as just calling up minor leaguers to take the place of the injured players. General Manager Jim Rutherford joined 99.9FM the Fan ESPN radio Wednesday to explain the situation.
“It’s a tough situation because we are right up against the cap, the same situation that Calgary got themselves in last year and they actually played a few games and dressed two men under the limit for a game or two. It makes it difficult,” Rutherford said.
The Hurricanes are right up against the league cap number of $56.8 million, with some projections showing Carolina near $56.5 million towards the cap, leaving no room to add payroll at the RBC Center.
Carolina called up goalie Justin Peters from Albany and sent down forward Tim Conboy to make room to pay Peters an NHL level salary.
When the Canes call up players from Albany, performance bonuses add to a rookie's cap number. Part of the reason winger Zach Boychuk could not stay with the NHL club was his cost against the cap.
It's not as easy as sending players down with guaranteed NHL contracts either, so, barring a trade, the Canes GM has to use some imagination.
”It’s getting difficult but we are getting creative and trying to figure out different ways to put the best team on the ice we can and try to win games,” Rutherford said.
Injuries to NHL players are a mounting problem for Carolina, not just on the ice but on the books as well. Salaries don’t go away when a player is hurt. The contract still counts against the cap.
Rutherford is still looking at every possibility to improve and help the team, “We work on different things – possible player trades where we may move out extra salary in a contract which is difficult to do.”
A trade would provide instant relief for the Hurricanes, but the general manager is hesitant to pull the trigger just for the sake of making a deal.
"The worst thing you can do in these situations where things haven't gone right is make a really bad trade," he said. "Sure, there are trades out there to be made. Then a month after, you sit there and think, 'Why did I do that?'"
Rutherford is solid on not jeopardizing the Canes future for a fix right now.
"We're trying to be very careful and still trying stick with our plan of transitioning our team. At this point in time we are going to transition a little sooner than we expected, with Brandon Sutter being on our team now instead of later in the season or next season. I talk to different teams and see if there is something out there that makes sense."
With the rough start and the injuries Rutherford knows it's not going to be easy to provide that relief.
“When a team's not doing well, this is when my job, my position, starts to get a lot busier,” he said.
Rutherford says the collective bargaining agreement helps with some cap room when injuries hit.
“We try to use our injured reserve the best we can based on the CBA. With Cam Ward being on long-term injury that frees up some cap space,” he said.
If the Canes were to place Ward on the long-term list, he would be out for 24 days or 10 games -- not be eligible to return until Dec. 5.
Even in the midst of all this, the GM still has faith his team can make a run.
“I still think this team can get all the players back and start play with the confidence we did in Montreal. Maybe we can figure out a way to get back in this,” he said.
He does understand how difficult this has been on everyone surrounding the Canes.
“This has been a tough time for everybody," he said.
"I feel bad for everybody involved and I feel very bad for our fans because the expectations were so much higher.”
Rutherford hasn’t lost his sense of humor even with the injuries to his goaltenders.
The former net minder ,when asked if he might unretire to help his team, quipped, “No, I think Tommy Barrasso we’d put in there sooner than me.”
Copyright 2012 99.9 The Fan. All rights reserved.
Most Recent Comments
RE: Canes cap woes need creative solutions
THIS IS GREAT! the esa, er, rbc center is 1/8 full, ticket prices go up as the players lose and nobody goes to the games and the team struggles to make money. only a few more seasons like this one and the former whalers will be gone for good. no more traffic jams on i40. hockey is a NORTHERN sport, it is out of its league in north carolina. don't believe me? look at how this team plays and tell me there isn't something wrong. all the slack cut to the players by the fans, media, season ticket holders, etc is sickening. if you want this team to get better, demand better. stop with the kid glove treatment. i will be at the games with a paper bag over my head. this is embarrassing, but i'm loving every minute of it. redneck hockey? this team is as beaten as the confederates after sherman marched right on through. all the injuries? nobody wants to play for a LOSER, which, let's face it, is what the clowns are right now. carolina hurri-clowns. i like the sound of that. somebody get some depends and geritol for all these old men. and paul maurice, with him around, the clowns will never be any good.
bye bye for now.
go any other team!
- Posted by edwardocorrochio
1. one eighth of the RBC Center capacity for hockey is about 2,335 people, you didn't learn math, did you?
2. Ticket prices go up in all franchises, Carolina has the fifth lowest ticket prices in the NHL
3. Hockey is not a NORTHERN sport and out of it's league in NC. Would it be fair to say that everything that originated north of NC doesn't belong? Sounds like it from what you say, you must have originated from the NORTH, go back - you are out of your league with us
3. This team may not be playing up to their potential now but look at the injuries and how the team has played with those injuries, there have been some games that were really awful, the game against St. Louise for example. Others have been mostly well played.
4. If I were you I wouldn't go to games and be in the stands with a bag on your head, someone may push you over the wall or down the steps
5. LOSER? Hmmm, takes one to know one
1 2 3 3 4 5 (LMAO Is that some type of Carolina Educational Math that other people don't learn) Anyways Point number three (b) is way off, I've watched just about every carolina game this year, along with many other games around the league. Everyteam is suffering from injuries right now so lets not use that as an excuse. As far as them playing well most of the the time is a lie that you would be living in. Carolina has been playing about one good period every game. Even the game they won to end their winless streak they almost gave away. This team stinks and there is no way around saying it except there is a lack of talent and ability. Oh btw if it wasn't for the North, There propbably wouldn't be enough qualified people to fill the jobs in NC. As you can tell by NC being in the bottom 10 of states when it comes to education. But hey everyone has an opinion and like the hurricanes the one you made above stinks .
I must have struck a nerve. It's nice to know that I have that much control over you. Have a great day! GO NC and GO CANES!!!!!!!
Truth
THIS IS GREAT! the esa, er, rbc center is 1/8 full, ticket prices go up as the players lose and nobody goes to the games and the team struggles to make money. only a few more seasons like this one and the former whalers will be gone for good. no more traffic jams on i40. hockey is a NORTHERN sport, it is out of its league in north carolina. don't believe me? look at how this team plays and tell me there isn't something wrong. all the slack cut to the players by the fans, media, season ticket holders, etc is sickening. if you want this team to get better, demand better. stop with the kid glove treatment. i will be at the games with a paper bag over my head. this is embarrassing, but i'm loving every minute of it. redneck hockey? this team is as beaten as the confederates after sherman marched right on through. all the injuries? nobody wants to play for a LOSER, which, let's face it, is what the clowns are right now. carolina hurri-clowns. i like the sound of that. somebody get some depends and geritol for all these old men. and paul maurice, with him around, the clowns will never be any good.
bye bye for now.
go any other team!
- Posted by edwardocorrochio
1. one eighth of the RBC Center capacity for hockey is about 2,335 people, you didn't learn math, did you?
2. Ticket prices go up in all franchises, Carolina has the fifth lowest ticket prices in the NHL
3. Hockey is not a NORTHERN sport and out of it's league in NC. Would it be fair to say that everything that originated north of NC doesn't belong? Sounds like it from what you say, you must have originated from the NORTH, go back - you are out of your league with us
3. This team may not be playing up to their potential now but look at the injuries and how the team has played with those injuries, there have been some games that were really awful, the game against St. Louise for example. Others have been mostly well played.
4. If I were you I wouldn't go to games and be in the stands with a bag on your head, someone may push you over the wall or down the steps
5. LOSER? Hmmm, takes one to know one
1 2 3 3 4 5 (LMAO Is that some type of Carolina Educational Math that other people don't learn) Anyways Point number three (b) is way off, I've watched just about every carolina game this year, along with many other games around the league. Everyteam is suffering from injuries right now so lets not use that as an excuse. As far as them playing well most of the the time is a lie that you would be living in. Carolina has been playing about one good period every game. Even the game they won to end their winless streak they almost gave away. This team stinks and there is no way around saying it except there is a lack of talent and ability. Oh btw if it wasn't for the North, There propbably wouldn't be enough qualified people to fill the jobs in NC. As you can tell by NC being in the bottom 10 of states when it comes to education. But hey everyone has an opinion and like the hurricanes the one you made above stinks .
RE: Canes cap woes need creative solutions
Hey edwardocockroach: I'd like to see you on the ice in a game. I would pay twice as much for a ticket to that as I do to go to Canes games.
- Posted by edits
Yea, he wouldnt last 30 seconds.
RE: Canes cap woes need creative solutions
THIS IS GREAT! the esa, er, rbc center is 1/8 full, ticket prices go up as the players lose and nobody goes to the games and the team struggles to make money. only a few more seasons like this one and the former whalers will be gone for good. no more traffic jams on i40. hockey is a NORTHERN sport, it is out of its league in north carolina. don't believe me? look at how this team plays and tell me there isn't something wrong. all the slack cut to the players by the fans, media, season ticket holders, etc is sickening. if you want this team to get better, demand better. stop with the kid glove treatment. i will be at the games with a paper bag over my head. this is embarrassing, but i'm loving every minute of it. redneck hockey? this team is as beaten as the confederates after sherman marched right on through. all the injuries? nobody wants to play for a LOSER, which, let's face it, is what the clowns are right now. carolina hurri-clowns. i like the sound of that. somebody get some depends and geritol for all these old men. and paul maurice, with him around, the clowns will never be any good.
bye bye for now.
go any other team!
- Posted by edwardocorrochio
Whats your favorite sport troll?
RE: Canes cap woes need creative solutions
Pittsburgh has 4 of their top 6 defensemen out but they still find a way to win games. It comes from building from the bottom up. Carolina has nobody of quality below their top three players. Carolina needs to loose the excuses and start getting some quality players in their organization. So how many of you Caniacs would take Jordan for Eric now.
- Posted by Notinitforthemoney
I would take Eric over Jordan any day. He is a all around better player.
Thats funny because Jordan can create much better than Eric.. Did I mention Jordan is faster than Eric and he makes better decisions on the ice.
Good thing you're not in it for the money, you'd be broke
Rank: All Star 
Rank: 
