Friday, June 23, 2006

Carolina makes headlines on eve of draft

Carolina is not going to rest on the accolades of the hockey world for their Stanley Cup victory. On the eve of the 2006 draft in Vancouver, the Hurricanes solidified a team leader’s position and started the rumour mill buzzing about a potential family reunion.

General Manager Jim Rutherford signed his captain Rod Brind’Amour to a long term deal keeping the heart and soul of the Canes Carolina bound for five years at a cost of 18 million dollars. Rutherford called Brind’Amour a dedicated and determined leader and an ambassador for the Hurricanes in the triangle area. At 35 years of age, the deal will most likely mean that Brind’Amour plays out the rest of his career as a Hurricane.

While he’s there he’ll possibly be watching the building of a family dynasty in Raleigh, rumours are making the rounds in Vancouver on the day before the draft that Rutherford will be trading up on Saturday, in order to acquire the services of Jordan Staal, brother to the Canes rising star Eric.

Jordan who played for Peterborough in the OHL this past season, is expected to go fairly high in the NHL draft on Saturday, presently listed as a number two pick by the Central Scouting Bureau, which would make for an interesting move for Carolina to get that pick.

All through the playoffs the Hurricane players liked to refer to the atmosphere around the team as that of a family, should they pick up the younger Staal in the draft Saturday it will be more than an atmosphere at training camp, it will be a family reunion.

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