At this rate, and with apologies to Butch and Sundance, there could be about 18,000 fully baffled folks next fall in the RBC Center asking "Who are those guys?" when the Carolina Hurricanes skate onto the ice for the opening of the 2008-09 NHL season.

It's all about a new day for the franchise, to paraphrase Hurricanes general manager and vice president Jim Rutherford, who on Tuesday announced the trade of Cole to the Edmonton Oilers for Joni Pitkanen.

In exchange for the promising defenseman, the Hurricanes surrendered one of the fastest and most popular players in the franchise's history. But in professional athletics, everything comes with a price. The price with Cole not only was an expensive salary -- about $4 million annually -- but also a lot of time on the injured list.

Cole, once seen as the future face of the team, gradually lost ground on that front to Eric Staal. And at a time the Hurricanes were hurting for defensive help, Rutherford decided to give up a lot to get a lot.

"I think we'll still score enough goals," Rutherford said Tuesday. "We'll upgrade our defense, but obviously it's a tough deal for us to make. ... Erik has been a good person and real good player, and we've wrestled with this for a while. But to get what your needs are, you have to give something up. Unfortunately in this case, that meant Erik Cole."

It didn't take an expert on body language to figure out that Rutherford had reservations about the decision to move Cole out of his system. And with good reason. Cole was expected to be one of the standout players in franchise history.

With his big ears, full-moon eyes and relentless attack mode, Cole was immediately popular with Canes fans. Those fans liked his playing style and, even more, his thinking style. There was nothing to dislike about Cole. He was -- still is -- the epitome of what you want in role models. He could have scored one goal per season and still have been an asset to the Triangle.

Technically, nothing is forever in pro sports. There's a chance that at some point in the future, Cole might again slip into a Hurricanes sweater. In the NHL, players routinely come, go and come back. It even happened with Hall of Famer Ron Francis, the franchise's longtime leader.

In that respect, Cole's many fans can hold hope. Without much question at all, he will long rank as one of the team's most popular players. It will be years before fans forget that cherished "BBC" line -- Rod Brind'Amour, Bates Battaglia and Cole -- of the 2002 Stanley Cup finals team.

T-shirts were printed and sold by the hundreds to commemorate that trio. Cole even purchased a couple. The shirts, many times washed and dried since, now belong to his kids. The memories of 2002 are the property of the players who made them possible.

"That year -- those playoffs -- I'll remember for as long as I live," Cole said Tuesday. "I think that season was where it really all started for hockey in our area, and I'll always be proud to think I was a small part of it.

"We came up a little short, but I really think we created a spark that will go on a long, long time in North Carolina. For us, this is home, and I think it might be after hockey is over for us.

"It's been a thrill. I mean that sincerely. No matter what happens in the future, I'll always love this area and love my time with this team. It's been the time of my life."