NHL Trade Rumor: Where Will Eric Staal Go?

Mar 31, 2014; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes center

(12) skates with the puck during warmup prior to game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

The season is only a few weeks old and there is already the hot name on the trading block: Carolina Hurricane captain Eric Staal.  Rumors of Staal being traded popped up over the summer and it appears that the Hurricanes slow start this season has only added fuel to the fire.

Before we look at the merits (or drawbacks) of moving Staal, there are a few items to consider.  First, he will be 30 later this month and is currently day-to-day with an upper body injury that’s expected to keep him out at least one more week.  He is signed through the 2015/16 season and carries a sizeable $8,250,000 cap hit.  He also possesses a full no-trade clause, essentially giving him all the leverage in any potential deal.

His 2013/14 season saw him post the worst numbers of his career since his rookie campaign.  To be completely fair to Eric Staal, Carolina was among the worst teams in the league last year and figures to be even worse this season.  They are already missing Eric’s brother Jordan for the next several months with a leg injury and center Jeff Skinner has yet to play this season due to a concussion.

Despite all of that, it won’t be easy to trade Eric Staal.  He’s been the face of the franchise for nearly a decade, helping Carolina capture its only Stanley Cup back in 2006.  In the history of the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers, he’s third on the franchise’s all time games play list, second in goals, second in assists, and second in points.  This isn’t as easy as trading an all-star center from the Hurricanes.  This is trading THE Hurricane.

With that said, Carolina needs to explore all options to improve the team.  Despite his history with the team, there is no guarantee Eric Staal will re-sign with the club next off-season.  While they could sit tight for now and see what happens between now and then, that is too great a risk for a team that is not close from contending and has holes all over to plug.  Plus a team that acquires him now would have him for nearly two full seasons as opposed to one or less.

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For comparison sake, take a look at what Ryan Kesler and Jason Spezza netted in returns this summer.

Kesler: he was packaged with a third round pick for Luca Sbisa, Nick Bonino, a first round draft pick and a third round draft pick.

Spezza: he was package with a prospect for Alex Chiasson, two prospects, and a second round pick.

Kesler had two years remaining on his contract, Spezza just one.

So while it would take an extraordinary package to land Staal (and justifiably so), the teams on the following pages all make sense as a potential trade partner with Carolina.