Hockey Stuff: Canes Sign David Tanabe

DAVID TANABE | Signs two-way deal with Canes 

With Bret Hedican ailing and the Carolina thin on defense,  the Hurricanes signed two-time former defenseman David Tanabe Friday, announcing the deal Saturday. Tanabe joined the lineup for tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals.

Tanabe has played parts of five seasons for the Canes since the team drafted him in 1999. He played 60 games for the team last season after the Boston Bruins didn’t offer him a contract following the 2005-06 season. The same thing happened to him following last season: Carolina didn’t offer Tanabe a contract. So the 27-year-old tried out for the St. Louis Blues, but didn’t make the team. The Hurricanes gave Tanabe a two-way deal, paying him $600,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.

Hockey Stuff: Georges Laraque

Let’s lighten up a bit with a good tilt…

I love Georges Laraque. His Pittsburgh Penguins came into Raleigh Friday night, and the Canes won, 4-1, but I still think Georges Laraque is the best fighter in the NHL. I was able to get one of Big George’s jerseys from his Edmonton Oilers days, and one of my goals this year is to figure out a way to get one of his Penguins jerseys. At any rate, you won’t see two better heavyweights in the NHL than Georges and Minnesota’s Boogeyman, Derek Boogaard.

This looks like savagery, but there’s a time and place in hockey games for the occasional battle. Laraque is a solid player and Boogaard is the biggest enforcer in hockey, so this is a solid match-up. Check out this battle…