Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 2 pick of the 2006 NHL Draft, Staal made an immediate impact; he scored 29 goals and 42 points in 81 games and became the youngest player (18 years, 41 days) to score two shorthanded goals in one game. Those goals came against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 21, 2006, when Staal also became the youngest player to score on a penalty shot.
Three years later, Staal won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins and scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in 24 games during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 2 pick of the 2006 NHL Draft, Staal made an immediate impact; he scored 29 goals and 42 points in 81 games and became the youngest player (18 years, 41 days) to score two shorthanded goals in one game. Those goals came against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 21, 2006, when Staal also became the youngest player to score on a penalty shot.
Three years later, Staal won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins and scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in 24 games during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Staal was traded from the Penguins to the Hurricanes on June 22, 2012. Eight days later, he signed a 10-year, $60 million contract with Carolina.
Staal is joined in the NHL by older brother, Eric, who was the No. 2 pick by Carolina in the 2003 NHL Draft; the center played for the Hurricanes until 2016. Another older brother, Marc, is a defenseman with the New York Rangers. His younger brother, Jared, played two games for the Hurricanes during the 2012-13 season.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- NHL All-Rookie Team (2007)
- Traded to Carolina by Pittsburgh for Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin and Carolina's 1st round pick (Derrick Pouliot) in 2012 NHL Draft, June 22, 2012.