NHL Free Agents: Eric Staal – Rumors, Best Fits
By Ryan Ritchie
NHL Free Agents Eric Staal: Latest Rumors, FA Profile, 5 Best Fits
Among the big name NHL free agents this summer, 31-year-old Eric Staal is one of the better players among a strong group. He takes criticism for his decline in recent years, but hasn’t exactly received much help from linemates.
Staal was a trade deadline rental for the New York Rangers in 2015-16 after spending his entire career in Carolina. Moving forward, a return to Raleigh is a possibility. Expect him to listen to offers from other teams as well to gauge the market.
Veterans are struggling to get that big-ticket contract in recent years, so he may find that Ron Francis’ offer (if he tends one to Staal) is fair market value in the end.
Taken 2nd overall by Carolina in 2003, Eric has been the face of the franchise for more than a decade.
Much of his success was in his early days with a 100-point season and Stanley Cup Championship in the same year (2005-06).
It’s been somewhat downhill since then, but the big 6’4 center/left-wing has still managed to stay fairly productive over his career.
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Eric Staal’s Resume:
– Seven years of captaincy (Carolina Hurricanes – ’09-’16)
– 2006 Stanley Cup Championship/100-point season
– Three World Hockey Championships (Team Canada – ’07, ’08, ’13)
– One Winter Olympic appearance (Team Canada – 2010)
– Four All-Star Game appearances (one MVP in ’07-’08, wore the “C” in ’11-12).
– Staal also joined the Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup Win, World Championship Win, Olympic Gold Medal) in 2010.
Eric Staal, a 12-year NHL veteran, has 325 goals, 456 assists (781 points) in 929 career regular season games.
He also has 19 goals, 24 assists (43 points) in 48 playoff contests.
NHL Free Agents: Eric Staal Rumors/Speculation
via NHL Trade Rumors,
Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports: Eric Staal knows that he might have to move his family this offseason and that he’s not getting close to the $9.5 million base salary he made this past season. The 31-year old is hoping to get a chance in a teams top-six.
“I’ve played in the league long enough. You want to be comfortably where you are, but I want to be in a role where I’m counted on. [But] I don’t need to be ‘the’ guy,” he said.
“I think I can have a good bunch of years left. I can be effective offensively, more than I have been. I can be better. But I have to stay confident and know that I have the ability to be a difference-maker on an important team, in a larger role.”
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Potential Contract for Eric Staal
This is a tricky deal to forecast given that different variables can significantly change the cap number/or term.
A team may be willing to offer that long-term contract at a reduced annual cap hit. Then again, other teams might be willing to pay more for Staal as a short-term rental.
Projections:
2-3 years: $7-$7.5 million dollars/year
4-5 years: $6-$7 million dollars/year
Those numbers could vary depending how many teams are/are not interested in Eric Staal. We will have more clarity as other FA’s begin to sign on July 1.
Next: Steven Stamkos Free Agency Profile, Rumors, Best Fits
5 Best Fits
Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators