CULLEN TO CAROLINA--AGAIN
The Carolina Hurricanes acquired center Matt Cullen from the New York Rangers for defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, forward Ryan Barnes and a third-round draft pick in 2008.
What does it give the Carolina Hurricanes
Cullen returns to the Hurricanes, where he helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He'll fit the third-line center role that the team lacked when they allowed him to leave as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of '06. Clearly, 'Canes GM Jim Rutherford is admitting letting Cullen go was a mistake, so at least he's corrected it without having to pay through the nose. That said, an NHL defenseman, a solid forward prospect and a third rounder in what is expected to be a deep draft should be considered slight overpayment.
What does it give the New York Rangers
The Rangers were shopping Cullen around ever since they acquired both Scott Gomez and Chris Drury via unrestricted free agency. This could lead to more moves at center for the Blueshirts, or it may provide an opportunity for the likes of Jarkko Immonen or Brandon Dubinsky to seize a roster spot at training camp. This move was designed to create a little space on the Rangers' salary cap, so kudos to GM Glen Sather for getting three assets in return for a player he wanted to dump.
Fantasy impact
