Maurice upfront with an old friend

Canes coach Paul Maurice recently got a call from an old friend seeking some solid information. It was Florida Panthers coach Peter DeBoer, asking about defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. A free agent, Seidenberg was still unsigned, the Panthers were looking for a veteran blue-liner and Seidenberg was coming off a strong year with the Canes. What to do? If the Panthers signed Seidenberg, he would remain in the Southeast Division. He could come back to haunt the Canes, certainly knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his old teammates. "When a player is an unrestricted free agent, you're free to talk to anybody you want about him," Maurice said. "I gave him an honest assessment of Dennis. "We liked Dennis Seidenberg and the work he did here. It got to a point where it didn't fit (financially) and we moved on. Yeah, Pete called and I told him exactly what I thought of him as a player, and good for Dennis." Seidenberg signed a one-year contract ...