The Florida Panthers already know that they’ll have one Staal in the lineup this season, but would they benefit from having another?
Marc Staal signed with Florida early in free agency, and at the same time, Eric Staal signed a professional tryout (PTO). The older of the brothers, Eric, did not play in the NHL last season, so he will look to prove that he still has something to offer to an NHL club.
The 37-year-old last suited up for the Montreal Canadiens as they made their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. During that run, Staal tallied eight points in 21 games.
He had split that regular season between the Buffalo Sabres and the Canadiens, so his numbers were understandably unimpressive (13 points and a minus-30 in 53 games).
Does Eric Staal have anything to offer the Panthers?
Prior to that 2020-2021 campaign, his time with the Minnesota Wild was a success, highlighted by a 76-point season in 2017-2018.
Of course, his career as a whole has been Hall of Fame worthy. The long-time Carolina Hurricanes captain has played in 1,293 games, scoring 441 goals and 593 assists for 1,034 points. He also won the Stanley Cup with the Canes in 2006.
While his resume speaks for itself, there’s no way that he would have added any value to last season’s Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers team. However, the Cats are going to look very different this year, as they have lost several players which could lead to Staal finding a role.
According to CapFriendly, Florida is over the salary cap, so fitting Staal into the mix in that regard may not be easy. Speaking strictly from a hockey standpoint, though, I think Eric brings a championship pedigree that few other Panthers players can.
I don’t believe that the Panthers will be as good this season, which means they may not be as close to winning the Cup, but if they believe that they have the roster necessary to contend for a title, then I think they should sign a player with Staal’s experience.
Will the Panthers value experience enough to squeeze a 37-year-old onto the roster? If so, then Eric Staal is their guy. If not, expect to see only one Staal brother playing in Sunrise this season.