Erik Cole is Back! Popular Carolina Hurricanes Player Returns to the Triangle

I don't normally blog about sports, but I couldn't resist the chance to post my family's excitment about the return of a very popular Carolina Hurricanes player so many local kids loved: ERIK COLE. That's right, he's back! The News & Observer reported the following in today's paper:

In a deal that took some by surprise Wednesday, the Canes used a three-way trade involving the Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings to obtain Cole. In exchange, Carolina dealt away oft-injured forward Justin Williams, another fan favorite who has been sidelined 33 games this season with a torn Achilles tendon and more recently a broken hand.

I met Erik in June 2006 after the Stanley Cup win when the magazine I was editor for at the time, Wake Living, featured Erik in an article written by our very own Sports TRACKer, Kurt Dusterberg. I even got to hold on to his hockey sticks during the photo shoot (see below photo). I also met his lovely wife, Emily, when I interviewed her and some of the other Hurricanes' wives for an article in the following issue of Wake Living. They are both warm, wonderful people and I'm certain our community will welcome them back with open arms.

Read more from the N&O here.

Above: Stu Weiss (CEO of Weiss & Hughes Publishing), Erik Cole and me!
Below: Me holding Erik's famous hockey sticks.
Photos taken by Gregory Georges.