Stanley Cup hero Rod Brind'Amour has a new contract, and what a contract it is, apparently - 5 years, 18 million dollars. OK, he just won the Selke, and he was a damn fine player for the Hurricanes in their Stanley Cup run (although he fell off after G2 against the Oilers) - but a 5 year contract for a 36 year old? I'd thought the Oilers were going a bit overboard signing Chris Pronger for 5 years, and he's in his early 30s, and a multiple trophy winner to boot - Hart, Norris, etc.
Jim Rutherford said his biggest learning experience - he didn't call it a mistake, although that had been the question asked - from the 2002 run was re-signing almost all the players that he felt had carried the team then. Is he making the same mistake now? The numbers say Brind'amour's entering the twilight of his career: born 9 August 1970, last year he had a fine season points-wise, but he'd been declining each and every season since 2000. (More limited icetime? Lousier teammates? Not sure, don't know the canes all that well, although certain of you who may still be reading, even if only to gloat over the fab colour scheme :) may be able to fill me in a bit.)
Crazy like a fox, or just crazy? My vote's on the latter. Maybe John Ferguson Junior mania is spreading in the Eastern Conference.