Canes host a bunch of Canes castoffs Leafs tonight

Tonight at the RBC Center, the Canes will play host to the Leafs, and it will be a homecoming of sorts for many of the Leafs.

This will be the first time that Leafs Coach Paul Maurice has been back to Raleigh since being fired midway through the 2003-04 season. Maurice was the longest tenured coach in the League, and although he led his team to a fluke appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, he wasn't doing well. His non-aggressive style of hoping for a 2-1 game every night landed his team in the League's basement in 2002-03 and they were headed that same way in 2003-04. After being replaced by Peter Laviolette, Maurice went to coach the AHL Toronto Marlies.

It was there that he got re-acquainted with one time Canes winger Bates Battaglia, who had a good season in 2002, but became more known for his clashes with Maurice and also for his party boy lifestyle in 2003. He was traded to Colorado for Radim Vrbata, then traded from Colorado to Washington for Steve Konowalchuk. Then he was let go. I mean really let go. He found himself down at the ECHL level. However, when Maurice was hired to coach the Marlies, he gave Battaglia a try-out, and he did well there. After a 67 (20/47) point season there last year, he has worked his way back up to the NHL level, thanks again to a chance given him by Maurice.
In the off-season, Battaglia still lives in Raleigh where he runs a really crappy bar called "Lucky B's". His father also lives in Raleigh, where he runs a restaurant or two.

Jeff O'Neill, who was once one of the star players for the Canes, fell from grace really quickly. He had a much publicized blow-up with Maurice after a bag skate, and his work ethic really started to go down hill fast in the 2003-04 season. He went from being a steady 60 point scorer to putting up 34 points that season, and he clearly wasn't putting forth any effort on the ice or in the weight room. During the lockout, he didn't play at all, choosing to get fat and drunk. He was arrested for his second DUI, and the team quickly lost their patience with him. Then tragedy struck. His brother was killed in a single car accident, and he expressed an interest in being traded to Toronto. The team obliged, making a draft day trade, essentially "letting him go". It was a perfect resolution to a sticky situation. The team wanted him out due to his poor play and poor conditioning. Aside from that, he wanted out for family reasons.

O'Neill has of course been back a couple of times last season. He was met with the same boos that he received even when he played here. I have no idea how Chairman Mo and Bates Battaglia will be greeted, but I can say that there's not a whole lot of love for either of those guys. We're happy for them that they both landed good jobs, but we still don't like them.

Puck drop at a special time of 7:30 tonight.