Canes' Francis likes Staal at left wing

As usual, there were some juicy tidbits in the latest edition of 30 Thoughts.

Eric Staal has two seasons left on his seven-year, $57.75 million contract.

Asked about Eric Staal's future, new Carolina Hurricanes GM Francis replied, "It depends on our budget."

Which leads into No. 16 of the 30 Thoughts:

Before we go crazy with Staal rumours, Francis added he liked seeing the captain as a left winger because it makes it easier to double-shift him around the lineup. This was one of the most interesting parts of the conversation. Asked what he's looking forward to hearing from coaching candidates, the first thing he said was, "Line pairings." He wants to hear how the interviewees would structure the roster, particularly the forward lines. "It's more about finding good pairs," he said. That way you can be flexible with the third man.

Source: Elliotte Friedman, Hockey Night in Canada/ CBC.ca