At an average of $6.3 million per year, Cam Ward's new contract seems like a lot of money. He'll be the second-highest paid player on the team (behind Eric Staal) and the third highest-paid goalie in the NHL next year (among those under contract, based on cap value). So surely there are long-term ramifications for the Hurricanes? Players cut loose, purse strings tightened, etc.? Actually, no. It's a lot of money for a goalie -- more than Martin Brodeur, more than Miikka Kiprusoff, more than Ryan Miller, more than Tim Thomas Ward's deal fits perfectly into the structure the Hurricanes have established for next season, leaving them approximately $3.5 million to spend on a free-agent forward if they so desire, on a reasonable $50 million budget. Back in July, I took an educated guess at what the Hurricanes would look like in 2010-11, figuring on $6 million as a reasonable salary for Ward going forward. There are a lot of "ifs" in play here -- if Aaron Ward will re-sign for $1.5 million or so; if Brandon Sutter, Drayson Bowman, Jamie McBain and Zach Boychuk (no doubt about that last one) are all ready for the NHL; if the Hurricanes decide not to re-sign any of their free-agent forwards -- but Ward's deal only solidifies the position the Hurricanes are in going forward. Still, it isn't cheap. Only Roberto Luongo, Henrik Lundqvist and Kiprusoff will make more than Ward next season if his contract is evenly averaged (pending future signings and re-signings) and Ward's cap value is higher than Kiprusoff's. Luongo: $10 million 2010-11 salary, $6.75 million cap value Lundqvist: $7.75 million, $6.875 million Kiprusoff: $7 million, $5.83 million Ward: $6.3 million (averaged; tentative pending release of offical numbers); $6.3 million