It was a day worth celebrating in Raleigh on Monday as Eric Staal signed a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes to finish his NHL career in the same place where it started. Along with the news of his retirement, the organization added that Staal's jersey would be retired during the upcoming season. No player from here on out will ever wear the number 12 again.
The Rise to Stardom
Eric Staal's career began at the 2003 NHL Draft in Nashville. The Carolina Hurricanes, fresh off a league-worst 61 points, used the second overall pick to select the tall center from Thunder Bay in the hopes of finding their next franchise forward. His rookie season left a lot to be desired. Staal managed just 11 goals and 31 points in 81 games as the Canes continued to struggle.
The 2004-05 lockout served Staal well. He returned for the 2005-06 campaign, playing at a much higher level. Staal set post-relocation records with 45 goals, 55 assists, and 100 points, securing the only 100-point season since the team moved to Raleigh. His efforts continued into the postseason, posting a league-high 28 points en route to a Stanley Cup victory. Staal would finish 4th in Hart voting at the end of the season, the best finish of his career.
Outside of a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009, the remainder of Eric Staal's time with the Hurricanes was spent on mediocre teams. For seven of the next nine seasons, Staal led the team in points, including a stretch of 70+-point seasons for the next six seasons after his 100-point breakthrough. He was named an alternate captain in 2007 before assuming the role as captain midway through the 2009-10 season. He was also named a captain for the 2011 All-Star Game when the festivities came to Raleigh.
The Post-Hurricane Days
With continued disappointments in their pursuit of the playoffs, the Hurricanes opted to move Eric Staal at the 2016 trade deadline, sending him to the New York Rangers for prospect Aleksi Saarela and two second-round picks. It took some time for it to materialize but the trade ended up being decent for the Canes, who flipped one of the picks to acquire Teuvo Teravainen from the Blackhawks. Staal's time with the Rangers was disappointing, finishing with six points in 20 regular-season games before going pointless in a five-game loss in the playoffs.
After signing with the Minnesota Wild during the following offseason, Eric Staal experienced a slight career resurgence. During his first two seasons in Minnesota, Staal scored 65 and 76 points, respectively, including the third 40-goal campaign of his career in 2017-18. His stats dipped in his final two seasons, though he still managed solid numbers. He signed with Buffalo for the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season but was dealt to the Canadiens at the deadline before going on a run to the Stanley Cup Final with Montreal.
While he didn't play in the NHL during the 2021-22 season, Eric Staal did represent Canada as its captain at the 2022 Winter Olympics after the NHL declined to send its players to Beijing. Canada finished sixth during the games, as Staal scored four points in five games. He returned to the NHL for the 2022-23 season, signing with the Florida Panthers for his final season. His career finished with a third trip to the Stanley Cup Final after beating his brother, Jordan, and the Hurricanes in the conference finals.
By the time he was traded, Eric Staal was the Hurricanes' leader in most offensive categories for both the regular season and postseason. While Sebastian Aho has passed him in some respects, Staal remains the leader in games (909), goals (322), assists (453), points (775), and power-play points (252), among many others. He's also the only Hurricane to score four goals and six points in a game in a win against the Lightning in 2009.
Staal's time with the Hurricanes will be remembered for the magical 2005-06 season. Along with his incredible regular season, Staal was clutch at the beginning of the postseason, scoring the overtime-winner to kickstart the series comeback in Game 3 against Montreal and the game-tying goal with three seconds left in Game 2 against New Jersey. You also can't forget his series-winning goal during The Shock at the Rock in 2009. He'll be remembered as a Stanley Cup champion and one of the best to wear the Hurricanes crest.