Raleigh, N.C. – Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos said the franchise would aggressively seek to retain coach Peter Laviolette, whose contract expires after the season. He presumably has considerable leverage and might attract other offers.
“We haven’t talked to him,” Karmanos said Wednesday night before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals at the RBC Center. “I don’t have any conceivable reason why he wouldn’t be back.”
Would he match any offer to Laviolette?
“Of course we would,” Karmanos said. “But if somebody’s been tampering in order to set up a leveraging position, we will take a very strong position on that as well, speaking mainly of some other organizations.”
Karmanos said the team will make a profit this season under the new collective bargaining agreement, and that it became assured when the Hurricanes knew they would be playing host to a Game 5 in the Eastern Conference finals against Buffalo. He said the new CBA is the best labor agreement in professional sports, but added: “Nothing can make canceling your season worthwhile. I mean, we had to do it.”
Karmanos is one of three NHL owners from the Detroit area. The others are Mike Ilitch of the Red Wings and Bill Davidson of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Playing coy
The Edmonton Oilers spent much of Tuesday and Wednesday trying to keep secret the fact that Jussi Markkanen had been selected over Ty Conklin as the Game 2 starter in the wake of Dwayne Roloson’s knee injury suffered in Game 1.
After the morning skate Wednesday, Oilers coach Craig MacTavish wouldn’t disclose that Markkanen was the choice. The selection was confirmed before the game.
“I mean, it’s a small thing, but this time of year, sometimes small things can add up and give you a little bit of an advantage,” MacTavish said in the morning. “It’s not something that we need to divulge.”
MacTavish said he told his choice of the Game 2 assignment after Monday night’s Game 1, “so unless he’s forgotten. … ” He paused, then added: “They are goalies.”
Familiar face
Former University of Denver and Colorado Rockies coach Marshall Johnston was at the game in his role as the Hurricanes director of pro scouting, a job that is becoming increasingly important under the new collective bargaining agreement.
Johnston, who previously served as the Ottawa Senators’ general manager before his semi-retirement, still travels extensively in scouting the league, and is based in Bemidji, Minn.
