Wisniewski says there’s ‘no better place for me’ than with Canes

James Wisniewski was attending a wedding Saturday in California when the defenseman got the news he had been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I wouldn't say it was a great shock," he said.

Wisniewski was traded last season, going from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Anaheim Ducks at the NHL deadline. He has been traded by the Chicago Blackhawks. Traded by the New York Islanders. Traded to the Islanders by the Ducks.

And Wisniewski sensed the Ducks might do it again. While obtained from Columbus to ostensibly add defensive depth for the Ducks in the Stanley Cup playoffs, he did not appear in a postseason game.

"I have to thank Anaheim for the experience and for being a part of the organization, but obviously after the way the season ended I didn't know what would happen," he said. "But this is the best for me. In my mind, there's no better place for me to play than Carolina."

The Canes sent goalie Anton Khudobin to the Ducks for Wisniewski on Saturday, on the second day of the NHL Draft. They added salary in the deal but brought in a veteran defenseman who can help bolster the power play while also helping in the development of such younger defensemen as Ryan Murphy, Michal Jordan and possibly Noah Hanifin, the Boston College standout who was Carolina's first-round draft pick Friday.

Wisniewski said he relished that big brother/mentor role, saying he tried to be the same for Ryan Murray, a former first-round pick by the Blue Jackets.

"Ryan was my defensive partner and I enjoyed that, enjoying being there for the young guys," he said. "I'd take them out to dinner, watch out for them. We tried to get better as a group."

Wisniewski, 31, has put in 10 years in the NHL, playing 551 regular-season games and 24 playoff games. He's also coming off a season in which he had a career-high eight goals, all with Columbus, and that a year after putting up a career-best 44 assists and 51 points for the Blue Jackets.

A right-handed shot, he scored seven of his eight goals last season on the power play, third-best among NHL defenseman. He’ll join Justin Faulk in giving the Canes another heavy shot from the blue line.

Wisniewski briefly played for Canes coach Bill Peters with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL in the 2008-2009. He called him a "great up-and-coming coach" and said he should benefit from being in Peters' system with the Canes.

"They play that high-tempo, attacking style," he said. "They don't sit back. He wants his guys in shape, fast, moving and jumping into the play. The D are always a threat.

"Carolina has always been known as a skating team. I'm looking forward to being in that system."

Wisniewski said he's also looking forward to be reunited with an old friend: Mike Vellucci, the Hurricanes assistant general manager and director of hockey operations, and Wisniewski’s former coach with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.

"He was my first coach in junior hockey and he coached me for three years in Plymouth," Wisniewski said. "We've stayed in touch, played golf together. He knows me as a player but also as a person.

"Coming to Carolina should be a good fit for for me."

This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Wisniewski says there’s ‘no better place for me’ than with Canes."