Hurricanes-Senators: Pregame Thoughts

The Adams Family is reunited! No, Kevyn Adams is not coming back to Raleigh. Craig Adams was traded to Chicago earlier today for a conditional pick in the 2009 Entry Draft.

It looks like Adams is being made scapegoat number 1 for the worst rated penalty kill in the league and apparent general apathy on the ice. Adams might be the first to go, but if improvement isn’t made in Carolina’s effort in future games, he won’t be the last.

First thing this morning, Adam Gold and Joe Ovies of 850 The Buzz interviewed Jim Rutherford and in his most frank and direct interview so far this season, the Hurricanes GM made it perfectly clear that he was mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it anymore!

The angry General Manager did everything but call out the equipment manager. He refused to give a vote of confidence to head coach Peter Laviolette and said that “anything and everything” was on the table for review and change.

He did mention that Eric Staal is pretty much the only player who is untouchable, and might even get an Alexander Ovechkin type of contract, when the time comes.

Other than that, Rutherford complained about the team’s inability to play hard for 3 solid periods of hockey and can’t understand the overall lack of effort. He promised big changes and the moving of a “popular” player to shake things up next. We will see what happens.

Of course the Hurricanes are in Ottawa to play the Conference leading Senators tonight. The Sens have been nothing short of spectacular most of this year, even beating Detroit in a head to head showdown earlier this year. They have lost 2 games in a row though and are missing superstar Dany Heatley, (shoulder). Jason Spezza could be out as well.

Some great news for Carolina is that Matt Cullen and Scott Walker will both be back. Bret Hedican is still questionable. Cam Ward will be in net. Luke at LSB is reporting the lines as follows... 

    * Brind’Amour-Cole- Samsonov
    * Staal-Stillman-Whitney
    * Cullen-LaRose-Walker
    * Letowski-Ladd-Brookbank
    * Kaberle-Seidenberg
    * Wesley-Borer
    * Gleason-Commodore

Gametime is at 7:30 with pregame at 7 on FSN. If the boys aren’t fired up for tonight, they never will be.