Jordan Staal   [1988]

Jordan Staal is one of the four Staal brothers, each of whom is a professional ice hockey player of sufficient caliber to play in the premier professional hockey league, the National Hockey League [NHL]. Jordan is the second oldest of the four brothers, being four years younger than his older brother, Eric Staal.

Jordan Staal began his professional ice hockey career, in the 2004-2005 season, when he was only 16 years old, playing for the Peterborough, Ontario Petes in the Ontario Hockey League [OHL]. He remained with the Peterborough Petes for two seasons, from 2004 to 2006. During the two years, he played in 134 games, scored 37 goals, and amassed 96 points.

In 2006, the Pittsburg Penguins of the NHL drafted Staal, as the second overall pick in the 2006 draft. By being drafted so early in the draft, Staal became the second Staal brother, Eric, to be drafted second in the draft. Eric Staal had been drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes, as a second overall draft pick, in 2003. New draftees in the NHL usually are sent to a farm team, but Staal was immediately needed on the Pittsburg Penguins team, and played on the Penguins team for the entire 2006-2007 season.

Staal was so successful on the Pittsburg Penguins team that the team decided not to send him to a farm team for seasoning. Or the Penguins were in such need for his services that they could not afford to send him to a farm team. As a result Staal played on the Pittsburg Penguins team for the three seasons from 2006 to 2009. And, at the end of the 2008-2009 season, Pittsburg succeeded to capture the most coveted prize, the Stanley Cup, by beating the Detroit Red Wings, in the Seventh game of the NHL’s finals series.

Jordan Staal is one of the NHL’s best penalty killers, and plays at a defensive position. As a result he is not a prolific scorer like his brother, Eric, who plays in a forward position. Nevertheless, Jordan Staal, during the first three NHL seasons, has played in 243 games, scored 63 goals, and amassed 119 points. During the period since the 2008/2009 season until the end of the 2012/2013 season Jordan has played in 234 games, scored 67 goals and amassed 159 points.

In 2013, Jordan was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Carolina Hurricanes. There he joined his older brother Eric on the Hurricanes team. He signed a 10 year $ 60 million contract with the Hurricanes.

Staal’s most satisfactory achievement, undoubtedly, is the winning of the Stanley Cup, in 2009, for his team. The Pittsburg Penguins won the Cup in the seventh game of the 7 game NHL final series against Detroit. This was an unusual achievement, because the Penguins managed to win on the opponent’s ice. Historically, it is very unusual in any major professional sport to win the overall championship, when playing on the opponent’s home field, or home ice.

Some of the other major awards Jordan Staal has achieved over his professional career are listed below.

2006---Selected for the All-Star OHL Team

2006---Played in CHL’s Top Prospects Game

2007---Shared Pittsburgh Penguins Rookie of the Year Award with Evgeni Malkin

2007---Became the youngest player to score his first NHL hat trick, agains the Toronto Maple Leafs

2007---Participated in the NHL’s Young Stars Game

2007---Placed third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the year.

Jordan Staal’s brothers are Eric Staal, a forward for the Carolina Hurricanes, Mark Staal, a player for the New York Rangers, and Jared Staal, a player on the Carolina Hurricanes farm team, the Charlotte checkers.

Jordan Staal, of Dutch background, was born on September 10, 1988 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, a city on the north shore of Lake Superior. His parents are Henry and Linda Staal. The Staal family operates the 500 acre Sunshine sod farm. Although Staal is a Dutch Canadian, since he has been playing on an American team, and has lived in the United states for several years, he has earned the designation as a Dutch American. We wish him well.

This bio profile was updated in October 2014.

 

REFERENCES

Pens vs. Canes Means Staal vs. Staal, Associated Press, The Buffalo News/ Sunday, March 17, 2009, p B6.

Jordan Staal, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Staal

Jordan Staal, NHL Players, http://www.nhl.com/players/8473533.html (link no longer active)

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