Jordan Staal has signed a four year contract with the an AAV of $2.9 million per season. A long-time cornerstone of the Carolina Hurricanes, Staal’s elite shutdown ability is a key piece going forward for the club. The captain is staying right where he is and has a full no movement clause the first three seasons.
The Captain isn't going anywhere 😤
The #Canes have re-signed Jordan Staal to a 4-year contract. https://t.co/EKSENimU4V
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) June 25, 2023
Jordan Staal Signs
Staal is one of the top shutdown centres in the league and a penalty-kill specialist. He uses his six-foot-four-inch, 220 lb. frame to muscle players off the puck and shield it when having possession. In 81 games this season, he scored 17 goals and 17 assists. His 34 points were only two less from his 36 last season with the same amount of goals and only a dip in assists. A lot of his goal-scoring came in close with tips and rebounds. His 34 points came while he led the team in defensive zone starts. As a shutdown centre, he has always been strong in the faceoff circle. He held a 55.7% rate this season and also led the team in hits with 155. With taking some of the hardest matchups, he had the highest expected goals against on the team at 71.59 but actual goals against of 66.
What Staal Brings
As mentioned above, Staal is one of the league’s best shutdown centres. He plays a heavy possession game and can match up with almost anyone in the league to play that shutdown role. In Staal, you get a quintessential third-line centre who can also slot up the lineup when needed. With the right line-mates, Staal can drive a line that makes it almost impossible for opposing teams to knock off the puck.
At 34 years old, Staal is on the back end of his NHL career but is still effective in his role. Even though he won a Stanely Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Staal would love to get another. Jordan Staal’s new contract will provide him with another bite at the apple. A true leader who tends to show more with his play than with his mouth, Staal is still a valuable asset in the NHL.
Main Photo: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
