Captain claims Selke

Canes star Rod Brind'Amour defends Carolina coach Peter Laviolette, who was snubbed as the NHL's top coach in favor of Buffalo's Lindy Ruff

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- Peter Laviolette may not be able to get that gag order on Lindy Ruff, but the NHL can't quiet Rod Brind'Amour.

The Carolina Hurricanes coach was denied the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach Thursday, losing by a single point to Buffalo Sabres coach and playoff adversary Ruff. Brind'Amour not only thanked Laviolette effusively after winning the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward, but went on the offensive in his news conference.

Laviolette should have won, Brind'Amour said, even before the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.

"I do think the organization gets disrespected," Brind'Amour said. " ... Coach Laviolette, that was kind of his driving force all year, that no one thought much of our hockey team. You have to win to get respect, and now we've done that. I hope our organization gets more respect now because it does feel at times we're not included. ...

"Nothing against Lindy Ruff and those other coaches, but to take a team that I think no one counted us in and get us to believe we could win the whole thing and we did, I don't know what more a coach can do. ... I just felt he deserved it."

That was about the only honor that escaped the Hurricanes. In addition to Brind'Amour's Selke Trophy, Eric Staal was named to the NHL's second All-Star Team and finished fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player. Brind'Amour finished 10th.

Denied the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP by teammate Cam Ward, Brind'Amour won his first Selke after leading all NHL forwards in ice time and taking -- and winning -- more faceoffs than any other player. He was a runaway winner, with 80 of 129 first-place votes and almost twice as many points as second-place finisher Jere Lehtinen of the Dallas Stars.

Laviolette will have to take his win over Ruff and the Sabres in the Eastern Conference finals instead of coach-of-the-year honors, although that series was only slightly less close than the Adams voting by the NHL Broadcasters' Association. Ruff beat out Laviolette 154 to 153, with both receiving 20 first-place votes. Laviolette had 16 second-place votes to Ruff's 15, but Ruff had 10 third-place votes and Laviolette six.

Laviolette asked for a "gag order" during the conference finals after Ruff accused the Hurricanes of arrogance, having champagne on ice before Game 6 in Buffalo and diving, among other charges. Ruff was gracious in victory, congratulating Laviolette and the Hurricanes in his speech.

"I would trade him that point and take the silver thing he's holding over there," Ruff said.

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said he hoped to have a new contract negotiated with Laviolette soon after he returns from Vancouver early next week. Laviolette hits the open market July 1.

"People wondered, can the Hurricanes keep it up all year? Will they fall back?" Rutherford said. "Now that the players and coaches were able to do that and win the ultimate prize, I think there will be more respect. ... In our minds, Peter is the coach of the year."

For the Hurricanes involved, the awards ceremony was a chance to continue to bask in the glory. Staal appeared on Canadian TV with his brother Jordan, a top prospect in Saturday's draft, before he joined Brind'Amour and Ward to escort the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy onto the stage.

That came after sleepless nights and a cross-country flight on the heels of the two parades in Raleigh. Ward and Staal were so hungry, they crashed the media meal for a bite to eat.

"This doesn't get old," said Brind'Amour, whose parents were in the audience Thursday from his hometown of Campbell River, a few hours away on Vancouver Island. "It's tiring, but we know it's going to die down in the next day or so. But the memories will stay with you forever. ... We've created some that we'll never forget -- for us and for the people of Raleigh. That's special."

The Cup will be at the draft Saturday and in Campbell River on Sunday, a day after Brind'Amour's charity golf tournament. After that, it's headed back to Toronto and the Hall of Fame for repairs -- equipment manager Wally Tatomir dropped it.

For now, the Hurricanes aren't letting it out of their grasp as they bask in the NHL's adulation.

"I don't know that it really sinks in for good," Brind'Amour said. "You just savor it. When you see the guys, when you run into them, it's weird -- even if you haven't seen them for just a day. It's just a good feeling, something they can't take away."