Eric Staal lands on teams’ radar as playoff boost!

Free agent Eric Staal has not given up on returning to the NHL and it sounds like he could be close to making his wish come true. According to the Fourth Period, teams have kept in touch with Staal’s agent about the possibility of signing him this season.

And we get why. Staal helped the Montreal Canadiens on their way to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final last spring and could be the needed boost for some contenders out there.

“He’s kind of just playing the waiting game,” TFP’s David Pagnotta said of Staal. “There are teams that have expressed interest. What teams are basically doing at this stage, over these next seven days, is re-evaluating the marketplace.”

We wonder if Staal is now open to the idea of playing for a Canadian contender : when he became a free agent after reaching the Stanley Cup Final with the Canadiens last season on a one-year deal, he made it clear that he was hoping to pursue his career with an American team.

Staal still has a lot in tank, he who was moved from the Buffalo Sabres to the Canadiens ahead of the trade deadline last season. He ended up with five goals and 13 points in 53 games between the two teams. He had two goals and eight points in 21 games during the Habs’ impressive playoff run. He looked good during the 2022 Olympics as Team Canada’s captain.

He also registered two goals and three assists for five points in four games with the Iowa Wild of the AHL this season as he worked himself into game shape in preparation for the Olympics.

Some teams that look for leadership and a boost on their bottom-six up front could give Staal a shot instead of fighting for chips on the trade block.

In a total of 1,293 NHL games, Staal has 441 goals and 1,034 points over the course of his career with the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Wild, Sabres and Canadiens. He also had 28 points in 26 games during the 2006 playoffs, helping the Hurricanes to their only Stanley Cup victory in franchise history.

I am all for giving Staal another chance!