NOTEBOOK: Staal still sizzling; Smith settling in

SUNRISE, Fla. - Eric Staal has been turning back the clock in South Florida.
Netting a pair of important goals during Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, the 38-year-old center has quickly evolved from PTO to an important piece for the Florida Panthers.
Given his pedigree, that has come as no surprise to his teammates.
"It's awesome," Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas said of Staal's resurgence following Thursday's practice at FLA Live Arena. "The things he's accomplished and the way he carries himself on the ice and in the locker room is impressive. I think for everybody in the locker room, he sets the example for how we want to play and how we want to be prepared for the games."

A member of hockey's esteemed "Triple Gold Club," Staal, who captured a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, has been working tirelessly to get his game back up to speed after spending last season outside of the NHL for the first time since the lockout in 2004-05.
Unsigned out of camp, Staal waited patiently for the Panthers to find the cap space to ink him to a one-year contract, which he eventually signed on Oct. 21. After shaking off the rust during November, he's been one of the team's most-productive players since the calendar filliped to December.
Chipping in consistently from the bottom-six since Dec. 1, Staal has cracked the scoresheet in 10 of the last 16 games, recording 12 points (six goals, six assists) during that strong stretch.

In that same span, only Matthew Tkachuk (18) has posted more points than Staal.
"For him to be doing what he's doing right now is pretty impressive," said Staal's brother, Marc, who patrols the blue line for Florida. "He's always had a knack for the net. He had some chances earlier that weren't going for him, and now he's finding a way to bury it. It's great to see."
When asked about what has been making Staal so effective as of late, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said it's been his ability to dictate play in the offensive zone from behind the net, as well as his chemistry with Ryan Lomberg and the other players that have graced his line.
"I think you started to see it against New Jersey [on Dec. 21]," Maurice said. "They were our best forward line -- offensive zone time, chances, pucks behind the net. Lomberg has enough speed and physicality that he can stay in on that attack. We've had different people, and it's a different iteration with Smitty there now. It's become a very physical, very strong line."
With 447 goals in his career, Staal ranks fifth among active players in goals behind Alex Ovechkin (808), Sidney Crosby (536), Steven Stamkos (498) and Evgeni Malkin (456).

SMITH SETTLING IN

The newest member of Staal's line, Givani Smith is already feeling settled in.
In fact, even before he made his home debut with the Panthers during Tuesday's win over the Coyotes, the 24-year-old forward said he already had some fond memories of lacing up his skates at FLA Live Arena.
"Believe it or not, one of my games here against Florida was a really good game," he smiled.
He's not lying.
Going back through the game logs to Feb. 7, 2021, Smith earned second-star honors after tallying a goal and an assist to help lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-1 win over the Panthers in Sunrise.
"I love playing in this rink," he said. "Coming back and playing on the home side just felt natural."
Suiting up in two games since the Panthers acquired him from the Red Wings last month, Smith has also seemed like a natural fit alongside Lomberg and Staal on the fourth line. Looking very solid against the Coyotes, he produced two hits and fired off one shot on goal over 9:29 of ice time.
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Florida also led 18-7 in shot attempts when he was on the ice at 5-on-5.
"I'm just so fortunate," Smith said of getting to line up alongside Staal. "He's a legend. For me to come out here, work hard and play alongside him, it makes it a lot easier."
On Staal's first goal against Arizona -- a beautiful snipe from a sharp angle -- Smith helped keep the puck in the zone before dashing back to the net to blind Karel Vejmelka with a great screen. And even though he didn't technically earn an assist on the play, his actions didn't go unnotcied.

"If you look at Staal's [first] goal, it comes from forecheck to the net-front," Maurice said. "[Smith] finishes a check on the half-wall that keeps the puck in and then goes back to the net-front."
In two games with Florida, Smith has recorded six hits, a fight and a +1 rating.
"I have lots of time for a player that plays that role," Maurice said of Smith's style of play. "He's got physicality on the forecheck, and we're an elite forechecking team. He can do that job."
With the Panthers opening up their crucial four-game road trip with a matchup at Detroit on Friday, Smith said he's looking forward to his first game at Little Caesars Arena as a visitor.
"It's going to be really nice," Smith said. "I know everyone on that team very well. It'll be nice to see all the guys and play hard against them. That's part of the game."

HORNQVIST UPDATE

Patric Hornqvist has yet to shed his yellow no-contact jersey.
In the NHL's concussion protocol since Dec. 3, the 36-year-old veteran forward has been hitting the ice prior to recent practices, but has yet to rejoin the main group on a full-time basis.
An important presence off the ice as well as on it, Maurice said that Hornqvist will be joining the Panthers on their road trip, but noted that he's still likely a ways off from being able to return.
"There's still lots of conversations before he comes back into the lineup," Maurice said.
THURSDAY'S PRACTICE LINES
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen - Sam Bennett - Sam Reinhart
Nick Cousins - Anton Lundell - Colin White
Ryan Lomberg - Eric Staal - Givani Smith
Extra: Zac Dalpe
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal - Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura - Radko Gudas
Extra: Matt Kiersted
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight