"A few tanned, all rested (except for All-Star invitee Justin Faulk), the Carolina Hurricanes returned from far, wide and Ottawa on Monday to begin the final stretch of the season.

The team that finishes the schedule in April might look very different from the one on the ice tonight against the New York Islanders, although Monday's unprecedented midseason agreement with Tim Gleason on a four-year contract extension removed one of the largest areas of uncertainty.

Not only might some of the players be different - with Gleason signed, Tuomo Ruutu jumps to the top of the trade-rumor queue - but new coach Kirk Muller is expecting the team to build upon its recent good play."