Pothier may not fit in blue line plans

Speaking of tea leaves ... In talking to Canes general manager Jim Rutherford this week about next year's blue line, and asking if Brian Pothier figures into the team's plans, he mentioned that he expects Anton Babchuk to be signed. He mentioned Jamie McBain and Jay Harrison. Then there are Alex Picard and Brett Carson. Let's see, start with Tim Gleason and Joni Pitkanan and add in Babchuk, McBain, Harrison, Picard and Carson. That's seven. "The numbers get filled pretty quickly," Rutherford said. That could be the 2010-2011 blue line. It also fits nicely within the financial parameters owner Peter Karmanos has laid out. Pothier, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, made $2.5 million last year with Washington and then Carolina after coming to the Canes on the trade deadline. Given the boss' dictates  on budget, it's hard to see the Canes offering anything like that to Pothier, a character guy in the room and a solid D-man but also 33. ...