Longtime Carolina Hurricane and 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Eric Staal Retires From NHL With 1-day Canes Contract

By AIDAN JENSEN

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Long before the Carolina Hurricanes became the Eastern Conference threat they are now, the Canes won a Stanley Cup.

The 2005-2006 NHL season was a challenging one for teams and players alike, as the previous year wasn’t played due to the NHL lockout. Players opted for other leagues to keep their skillsets fresh, but I’m sure those same players would rather be playing with their NHL teammates.

Carolina won the former Southeast Division in its first year-post lockout, beating out the Tampa Bay Lightning, Atlanta Thrashers (now Winnipeg Jets), Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals. This was only the Canes’ ninth season since relocating from Hartford, Conn., so a Division Title was nonetheless impressive.

Carolina then embarked on a wild Stanley Cup Playoff run. The Canes came back from a 2-0 deficit to down the Montreal Canadiens in six games of their First Round Series, took care of the New Jersey Devils in five games, held off the Buffalo Sabres in seven Eastern Conference Finals clashes, then downed the Edmonton Oilers in seven games for their first (and only to this date) Stanley Cup Title.

A major part of that Stanley Cup run – and Carolina’s early franchise success in general – was longtime captain Eric Staal. The Canes chose Staal second overall in the 2003 NHL Draft and, the coming season, he was playing professional hockey.

Staal scored 100 points in Carolina’s Stanley Cup-winning campaign. He recorded at least 70 points in seven of his 19 NHL seasons, with his three best statistical years coming as a Cane. There was a glimmer of hope Staal might come back to Raleigh in his later years, after stints with the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Montréal Canadiens and Florida Panthers, but he never did.

Actually, Staal did come back to Carolina.

On Tuesday, July 30, Staal signed a 1-day contract to retire as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.

“Eric is a uniquely central figure in franchise history,” Canes general manager Eric Tulsky said in an article on the team’s homepage. “Throughout his time in the Triangle, he made an immeasurable impact on his teammates, the organization and the community. We look forward to raising number 12 to the rafters and celebrating the career of a man who has meant so much to hockey fans in North Carolina.”

Whenever Carolina announces the date of Staal’s jersey retirement ceremony, expect PNC Arena to have a packed crowd.Do you think Staal would consider an on-ice return to the Canes?