There seems to be some seperation starting in the west, while the east is still very much up for grabs. Talk about parity: 14th place Toronto has 37 points, just 3 behind the 40 points the Flyers have while sitting in the 8th and final playoff spot. While the Hurricanes could mathematically go on a run and make up the 13 points and 7 teams ahead of them, at this point they seem to be the only team out of the Eastern Conference playoff race. So, if GM Jim Rutherford decides to teardown and rebuild, who are Carolina's untouchable building blocks?
You have to figure Cam Ward and Eric Staal are two of them. Ward has been injured and inconsistent, but has proven himself with a Conn Smythe trophy and his stellar play in last years Conference Final playoff run. Staal also hasn't been at his best this year, but he's the franchise player and probably the next captain as soon as Rod Brind'Amour moves on. (More on the current captain in a minute.)
Young Brandon Sutter has shown a knack for scoring goals, and other youngsters should figure to get the opportunity to prove their readiness for an NHL game as the season moves along. But what trade chips does Rutherford have?
Tuomo Ruutu, at 26 and with 11 goals and 25 points this year, brings a power forward game that would be welcome on a contender. Jussi Jokinen is the same age and has put up the same stats, and his shootout supremacy could definitely help a contender gain some valuable extra points while jockeying for a playoff seed. Defenseman Joni Pitkanen is a proven NHL veteran that could help a playoff team as well. But who else can be flipped to expidite the rebuild on Raleigh?
Captain Rod Brind'Amour is having his 2nd straight sub-par season, so it's doubtful anyone would be willing to take on his salary at this point. Erik Cole struggled badly away from Eric Staal while he was with Edmonton, and injuries have diminished his value. Ray Whitney is 37, but still shows signs of being a capable scorer. But, did I mention he's 37? It looks like it could be a rough road back to the playoffs for the Hurricanes...
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