RALEIGH -- When Joe Corvo left the Carolina Hurricanes, traded in early March to the Washington Capitals, he didn't know where he might land after the season.
Corvo hoped to win a Stanley Cup with the Caps, but that didn't happen. There was talk the Caps might look to sign the defenseman to a new contract after the season, but that didn't happen, either.
But all along, Corvo said Wednesday, he felt like returning to the Hurricanes might be the right thing, the best thing. His family loved the area. He loved playing for the Canes.
On Wednesday, Corvo came back. He signed a two-year contract with the Hurricanes that will pay him $2 million next season and $2.5 million in the 2011-12 season.
"It's good to be back and not have to worry about where I fit in and all that stuff," Corvo said in an interview. "This makes it easy. This is the best situation for me."
There also was the matter, Corvo said, of perhaps paying back Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford. It was Rutherford who arranged the trade with the Caps, allowing Corvo to make a run at a first Stanley Cup championship. The Caps, the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, were bounced out by the Montreal Canadiens, but Corvo at least had that opportunity for a ring.
"This organization is a quality organization, and Jim did a good thing for me by trading me to Washington and possibly having a chance to win a Cup," Corvo said. "I wanted to do something for him to say, 'Thank you.' "
An unrestricted free agent, Corvo might have been able to sign with another team for the $2.75 million salary he made last season - or possibly more. Corvo, 33, has experience, quickness and skating skills, and he is a threat on the power play with his hard, heavy shot.
But money wasn't the driving issue, Corvo said.
"It probably sounds like a cliché, but you can't make all your decisions based on how much money you can get somewhere," he said. "I know where I stand with the people and the organization here. Jim [Rutherford] appreciates the kind of person I am and player I am. That meant a lot."
Rutherford said Corvo also "sacrificed" during contract negotiations - that is, took less money - to stay with the Canes.
"His first choice was Carolina, and he compromised his position to make it happen," Rutherford said. "You really appreciate a player who really wants to play for Carolina."
Corvo came to the Hurricanes in a February 2008 trade with the Ottawa Senators, and in the 2008-09 season he had 14 goals and 24 assists as Carolina reached the Eastern Conference finals.
Last season was mostly nightmarish as the Canes badly struggled to win early in the season and freakish injuries occurred.
Goaltender Cam Ward was slashed by a skate in early November. On Nov. 30, Corvo was cut on the lower-right leg by a skate in a game against the Caps, missing 28 games.
Just before the February break for the Vancouver Olympics, the Canes were playing their best hockey. There were hopes of getting back into the playoff chase, albeit a long shot.
"I thought maybe, just maybe, we could put together a crazy streak," Corvo said.
But as the March 3 trade deadline approached, the decision was made by management for the team to become a seller. One by one, players were traded - Matt Cullen, Niclas Wallin, Scott Walker, Aaron Ward, Andrew Alberts.
Corvo went to the Caps for defensemen Brian Pothier, prospect forward Oskar Osala and a second-round draft pick. Now, he's back.
Rutherford said Wednesday that the Canes would not look to sign Pothier but that there's still the chance of bringing back either Brett Carson or Alexandre Picard.
Both defensemen were restricted free agents and did not receive qualifying offers from the Canes, making them unrestricted on July 1.
Rutherford said the top six defensemen now could be set with Corvo, Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen, Anton Babchuk, Jamie McBain and Jay Harrison. But the GM said the competition should be stiff in training camp, noting the recent addition of Bobby Sanguinetti in a trade with the New Yok Rangers during the NHL Entry Draft.
"We feel really good about Joe coming back," Rutherford said. "If we get an injury now in the top four [defensemen], we won't have to be quite as stressed as to who can jump in there.
"If you look at our defensemen, we have four capable of getting us 30 or more points. We feel good about our depth."
And Corvo feels good about next season, even if the Canes will be considerably younger and such mainstays as Rod Brind'Amour and Ray Whitney are gone.
"The way we look on paper, no one's going to look at us and say, 'Those guys are going to dominate the division,' " Corvo said. "Maybe we can stay healthy this season and surprise some people."
