Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach, on the off season adjustments and others to come

I would say we were dangerously close to the start of Hurricane's training camp, but we're not. See, we're two and a half months away at field and it almost feels longer, although the season just sort of ended not that long ago. Rod Brind'Amour is the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes and he joins us. Last time you were on, we threatened to talk about other sports.

I'm going to drag you into that in a little bit, but first of all, thank you very much for carving out some time. I know we've got the prospects who are in town starting Monday. We'll get to that, but before we do anything, are you planning anything for the summer? Do you have anything on your agenda on the docket family trips? What's going on?

Not really. I already kind of did one. I went out to Vancouver Island. I have a little chilly event that's been going on for 25 years and so kind of went out there already and I know it's just a matter of, you know, you know how beaches are. My family's got a beach place, so I get to kind of run back and forth and do that.

And the rest of the time is obviously getting ready for next year. So is that your cottage? Everybody's in a cottage now. No, my in-laws have a place down here.

I've had it forever. So we're at Wrightsville Beach. Very nice area. Okay, very nice.

I try to come back and forth as much as much as I can. So there's a chili event on Vancouver Island? No, it's a golf event. It's an event for cystic fibrosis. Oh, charity.

Charity. I thought you said chili and I'm like, I love chili. I don't know about in the summer, but that's cool. Is there such thing as a chili event?

I don't know. I won. I won a chili cook-off in my cul-de-sac about 20 years ago. Okay, so there you go. Yeah, I have a green jacket. I don't even know if I have it anymore.

I have a green jacket. I was the master of my cul-de-sac when it comes to making chili. Free agency worked out well. I don't know if you probably weren't surprised because you're an insider and I'm just observing the organization from afar, but a foray into free agency was not on my bingo card. But Dimitri Orlov, because this has not been the plan of attack for this organization over the last several years for a lot of reasons that I'm not arguing. But Dimitri Orlov, Michael Bunting, your thoughts on what you guys did to strengthen your team? Well, you know what?

First, you know, I think word of business was trying to get everybody that we could signed from our team, you know, keep the guys we had. And I thought we, you know, we got Jordan down and we knew that was going to get done. And right. There's always, you know, I always look at it.

There's other people in the way that make these things harder than they need to be. And that got done. And then quickie. So that was good. And getting the goalies back, you know, it's good. We want to have the guys as many who can get back. I understand we do this every year and we lose guys here and there.

That's the nature of the business, unfortunately. But we we do do a great job at least make an attempt to, you know, keeping the guys intact. And I think that's really important. And so I thought we did a decent job of that.

And we're still in that process. Yeah. Like, as you know, so, you know, I appreciate that, you know, I'm involved all the way. They keep me in the loop and, you know, creation day out there in Don's office and have a tremendous respect because I've been a part of this for a while.

How much goes on and Tom's up there and the ringleader of the whole thing that Donnie's got us, you know, everyone doing their part to make sure on tabs with what we're doing. And I thought it was nice to have good additions. Right. And we're just always trying to get better.

But it's a fit that always has to be that fit. And I think we brought in two guys. You mentioned that should fit really well with the way we all play. I mean, Dimitri Orloff is just an outstanding top four. He can be a top pair defenseman. Not that you need a top pair left defenseman, because I believe Jacob Slavin is still on the roster. But Michael Bunting is if I had to draw up what this one of the things you really need is somebody who can play with, you know, on that edge. Sometimes he goes over the edge. But that's really not an element that you guys have a lot of or much of.

Certainly not in the top in your top lines. When you think about where Michael Bunting fits, what do you see? Well, I agree with you. I mean, that's the way he's played when he's in Toronto. Obviously, he was gifted with playing with one of the best players in the game.

So that probably helped him. But I think if you just look the way he played, you know, I think he's what you said. He's getting to the net. You know, listen, we lost this last year. You know, he's that player for us. But when he wasn't in there, you know, I think he could have used another guy like that.

And I think that's what we have here now. So, you know, plays the game with a little bit of an edge if you like. But I think he has the ability to put the puck in the back of the net.

And, you know, where all the goals are scored in this league. He's got to get to the net. And I think he's shown that he could do that. So, you know, hopefully that's what happens.

And I don't see why it won't. And certainly in the playoffs, in the postseason, and maybe even toward the end of the regular season, it becomes even more difficult to get to the interior of the ice. And a guy like Bunting certainly helps in that. Do you check in?

Rod Brindamore is joining us here in the Adam Gold Show. Do you check in with guys during the offseason? Or when you got, when you're done with the exit interviews, basically, that's it. So whether it's Sebastian Ajo or Thabo Terevinen or Martin Neches or Seth Jarvis, do you check in with them at all during the summer? Yeah, a little. I try not to. You know, I really try not to. And everyone's like, well, the reason is they get enough for me during the year. I don't want to, you know, harp on them or even checking in. And still, they know what I'm going to ask them. You know, eventually it's going to come out. You know, are you getting better?

La la la. So I, you know, if something happens, if there's something goes on, obviously reach out. But I really try to kind of stay away from it as much as I can. Obviously, if we're talking about players or adding guys, I know guys played with somebody.

I'll definitely, you know, we do a little bit more homework. You know, it's their team too, right? So we got to make sure they want to have guys like that or have Intel. So I'm in communication with the eyes and some guys are still here.

I saw Jacob Slavin yesterday in Chatfield, you know, at the rank. So, you know, we saw. But I really you ask your question long ways around.

I try not to because I know they get me all year. Right. Yeah. So my my headline there is Sebastian Ajo is sick of Rod Brind'Amour. Sick of hearing.

I know that's not the case. But a guy like Tevo, do you want to check in more? Well, well, occasionally I'll send a little text here and there and just, you know, make sure they you know, they know they're on their stuff.

I don't really have to do that with guys. I've been around. I mean, you know, they're always going to be terrible. I think it's a big year for him.

Yeah. You know, and hopefully, you know, not just because it's a contract year and all that, just because I think, you know, last year didn't go the way we all had hoped. And in our end of year meetings and talking through that during the year, I think he's a real proud guy who kind of pushes it off. I mean, once you get to know him, it kind of looks like he's whatever. But he really cares about how he plays. And he understands the role he plays, as you know, it's very, very vital to the success of his team. And he's really the smartest player we have. And he knows when his play is not up to par. And I think, you know, he expects a lot more of himself.

Yeah, it is. It's an enormous year. I actually talked about it at the beginning of the show coming going into the last year of his contract at his age. This is probably the last big contract he's going to sign.

I'm sure he wants it to be here. And he has to go out and perform. And there's a lot of guys who are in that position year in and year out. And he's so important to everything you do.

And you and I have talked about it. So let me ask you about some young players. Some of the guys who were in Chicago last year, and everything is complicated by the fact that there's no minor league affiliation, because Chicago has gone independent now. But what are your thoughts on a guy like Vasily Panamarov or Jack Drury, who was here for half the year and the playoffs, stepping into stepping into a role?

Right? Well, as we're sitting here today, you know, we have a need for, I guess, one or two of those guys, right? Like, it's just like, we only have 12 boards, really.

And to count Jack, that's 12. That's, that's kind of how we're sitting there. And Panaroma is kind of on the outside. But I think, you know, we like what we've seen out of him. He's still a young kid. And yeah, but I like what he played. He's not, you know, oversized, which that, you know, it can be an issue in this level. But he definitely has a motor and a compete that we like. And so, you know, we'll, we'll get a good look at him in camp and we'll see.

But I think, you know, Jack, we understand what kind of player he is. And really, if we're being truthful about everything, I haven't really used him in his position, right? Like he's a center man. And he was pretty much put on left wing, which, you know, and again, he's undersized too. So that, that's not necessarily the best position for an undersized guy to be on the wing, especially when he is a very smart player. So, you know, he might get a look at center here more this year. There's kind of a lot of options with those two and we'll obviously know more as we get through training camp. Alright, a couple of more quick things. First of all, can you foresee Ponomarev getting a look at center in the preseason?

And I'm going to ask you the exact, I'll just ask the questions twice. What about giving Marty Natchez a chance to play center? Yeah, listen, there's a ton of options. We've kind of talked about this last year. It's all about the fit and it's all about where you're going to get the most out of a player, right? Like it doesn't really, yeah, he can play it opposition, but now he is effective as he was on the way. And in my opinion with, you know, with Marty, putting him at center is going to not make him as effective as when he gets the puck wide with speed and you know, that kind of freewheeling, uh, attribute that he brings versus the responsibility of playing center, you know?

So I think he could do it, but we really want that dynamic ability and that's really what you get out of wingers. Um, so that, that's the kind of trade off that you got to kind of play with. So we'll see, especially, you know, if we end up adding another four here or there that's into the mix, then everything changes, you know, we'll bounce all that around. So, um, we'll see. I mean, I think, uh, I know how Tom is, you know, he's not such a hard worker, like drive forth. He's calling me a hundred times a day because he's working this and that, like the guy wants to make our team the absolute best it can be. And you know, you got to appreciate that.

Brad, Brenda Moore is joining us here on the Adam Gold show. All right, here is a, uh, this is a non hockey thing, but it is a hockey thing. The NBA is going to try to curb flopping on the court. Uh, they're going to assess a, uh, an unsportsmanlike technical foul, which doesn't count as an actual personal foul and doesn't lead to an ejection, but basically gives a team a free throw, uh, and the ball. I don't believe that will curtail flopping in the NBA because it gets flopping is still going to get, uh, it's going to get overlooked. Um, how would you curtail flopping embellishing in the NHL?

You already know the answer. These are these layup questions that I appreciate you giving me. No, it's the only way to do it is you have to have that review system when you, you know, it's the only way because when you watch it live, you know, in generally the biggest one is the high stick, right? One round that comes up and the guy had snaps his head back where he's been, you know, chopped. And yet, then you look at it on replay and he got past his shoulder or, you know, in mid, but when you watch it live, how do you tell? And then what are you not going to call the one that, you know, knocks the guy's face off and, Oh, it looked like he was embellishing, right? It's really hard live.

And that's the bearing lies, the problem. So I think the only way to do that is every time you call penalty, just get a quick review of it. And you can tell right away immediately. And you do that once or twice guy getting where the penalty is severe enough. Like you said, I don't know if a free throws severe enough where it costs you maybe two free throws and possession. Now you're not going to do that anymore. You do it in the NHL. It's sort of a penalty for you.

It's a penalty for the other team. You're not going to be seeing the, the non, you know, the announcement. It's just, it's going to go away, but are we ever going to get to that? Not, not probably our lifetime, but you know, it's just, the league's pretty slow in acting, but I liked that the NBA is doing it because whatever the NBA does, Oh, they can do it.

Then we do it. We, we, this league doesn't ever do something first, right? So I'm glad the NBA is doing that. I was sitting here complaining that major league baseball should have an in-season tournament, just like the NBA is instituting this year. I don't know that it would work as well in hockey. Maybe it would, but the game is just too physical to be taking games out for non-league matters, but I don't know.

Maybe it would work in the NHL, but I wish major league baseball would have an in-season tournament. All right. Final thing. What else do you do during the summer? Are you playing a little golf? Are you watching Wimbledon?

What are you doing? Not watching Wimbledon. Although I do like tennis. I'm trying to get on the course more for sure. I enjoy golf for me is all about just who you get to play with, right. You know, being around some, some close friends and my oldest son now is actually becoming a pretty good golfer. So trying to get some time in with him and then Sean Hills moved back into the area, right. And the guys, one of the funniest guys to be around, you know, he plays pretty much every day. He calls me every day and we, you know, if I can get out there once a week with him, that's good. So trying to, trying to do that a little more, obviously, you know, Caroline got the best golf around. So real fortunate to have a lot of opportunities there and that's kind of it and, you know, do what we do, right.

Spend some time as much as we can with the people that you care about and then get ready for next year. You're the best. I'll talk to you again very soon. Best to everybody. Best to Bodie. I always, always forget to give a shout out to the pooch. I appreciate that. All right.

And the chickens. We went, you got me hooked all again. And we always talked about with one half, half little question about Wimbledon and that was it, right? Who's better Federer or Djokovic? All time? Yeah. All time Federer or Djokovic?

Well, I like Federer because I like the way the guy handles himself, but the man, you got to give it to the joker. Like he's, he's, he's pretty darn impressive. Yeah.

He's got the most. I'm on the fence on that. I guess. You can't be on the fence.

This is sports radio. Can't be on the fence. You got to give him, you got to pick a side. You have to embrace debate. Well, then I'll take Federer. All right.

I'm not even a debate because I'm Federer too. All right. We'll have to argue about something else another time. Good.

I'll talk to you later. By Rod Brind'Amour on the Adam Goldsher. We got it.

Like he's right. Yeah. And my fault for actually having things about the hurricanes. Could you imagine if we had Rod Brind'Amour on and we didn't talk about like stuff issues with the team? Of course.

Fans would be like, what, what, what? I was waiting for. Right. That's what was going to happen. Just talk about storm brew the whole time.

Now it's getting more and more expensive. He would. Rod would not know what storm brew is. He wouldn't know. My understanding is does not drink beer. I don't know. Maybe he's a red wine guy. I have no idea. Maybe. I don't even know. I could see that body is a temple.