EDINA, Minn. — Eric Staal is looking for an opportunity to prove he still can be a valuable asset in the National Hockey League. A professional tryout during training camp with the Florida Panthers is the first step.
“It’s a great squad down there, a lot of really great players,” Staal said Wednesday after playing in a game at Da Beauty League, a 4-on-4 summer hockey league comprised of NHL and Division I players with ties to Minnesota. “I’m just looking for that opportunity to get back in the League and be a piece of the puzzle down there.
“I like the way they’re stacked up, and I like the way that they look. They’ve obviously made some changes and now it’s about building toward that and winning the Stanley Cup. That’s their goal, and for me to have an opportunity to go to camp to see what I can do with those guys, it’s incredibly special and I’m excited to have that chance.”
The 37-year-old forward last played in the NHL in 2020-21, with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 53 regular-season games with the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, and eight points (two goals, six assists) in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Canadiens reach the Cup Final.
Staal has 1,034 points (441 goals, 593 assists) in 1,293 regular-season games with the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Sabres and Canadiens, and 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 83 playoff games. He won the Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.
Last season he had five points (two goals, three assists) in five games with Iowa of the American Hockey League after signing a PTO with them, and at the 2022 Beijing Olympics he had four points (one goal, three assists) in five games and was captain for Canada, which finished sixth.
“It was unique,” Staal said. “I was by myself, losing the Stanley Cup Final in the middle of July. And then the next season started two months later and it just didn’t work out there (in Montreal). And then it didn’t work out anywhere else. And it was just kind of like, all right, where do we head now? I stayed in shape, and the Olympics came about, so I’ve had so many unique experiences.
“You take the best of what’s given in front of you daily and you prepare the way you need to, and that’s what I’ve done. And I’ll continue to do the same for the rest of the summer. And now this opportunity in Florida is going to be great. So I’m excited about that.”
The Panthers (58-18-6) won the Presidents’ Trophy last season and reached the second round of the Stanley…
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