Carolina Hurricanes Captain Jordan Staal Sets Franchise Record, Involved in Rare Fight

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal set a new franchise record for games played as a Hurricane yesterday, then was assessed penalties after a first-period fight, ultimately leading his team to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

Staal, 37, played in his 910th game for Carolina, surpassing his brother Eric Staal’s previous record. He is now third in franchise history including the team’s time as the Hartford Whalers, behind Ron Francis (1,186) and Glen Wesley (913). “I appreciate the boys battling it out for me there,” Staal said. “Getting a good memory out of milestone game and getting the two points. It has been a fun ride. It has been a lot of fun with these guys here and all the other teammates I’ve played with it has been just a joy and blessing and I’m just happy to keep going.” This milestone comes as the Hurricanes navigate a challenging season with several key players sidelined due to injury.

The record-setting night took a turn when Staal engaged in his first fight since February 2017, responding to a hit to the head on Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield by Minnesota’s Tyler Pitlick. The altercation resulted in a five-minute fighting major and a 10-minute instigator penalty for Staal, while Pitlick was assessed a match penalty and did not return. Despite the penalties, Staal returned to the ice and won all 10 of his subsequent faceoffs. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour praised Staal’s leadership, stating, “He comes to the rink every day and puts the team first…He’s our leader.” You can find more information about the Carolina Hurricanes on the official NHL website.

The Hurricanes are already playing without defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, and Chatfield’s injury adds to their defensive challenges. Brind’Amour noted, “We can’t get healthy and keep losing key pieces, that’s rough. I don’t know how long (Chatfield) is going to be out.” The team did receive a boost with the return of K’Andre Miller after a six-game absence. The Hurricanes will continue their weekend with back-to-back games, hosting Buffalo on Saturday and visiting Toronto on Sunday.