Hurricanes Sign Jordan Staal to 10-Year Extension

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have signed newly acquired center Jordan Staal to a 10-year contract extension worth $60 million.  The deal will average out to $6 million per season.  He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.  Staal was acquired by the Hurricanes on June 22 from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Brandon Sutter, defenseman Brian Dumoulin, and Carolina's first round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.  The Penguins used the pick to draft defenseman Derrick Pouliot.  In 62 games last season with the Penguins, Staal had 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points.  He added six goals and three assists for nine points in six playoff games.  The Hurricanes had been seeking a number one center and they got that in Jordan Staal.  He has plenty of offensive talent and two-way skill, skates well, and is excellent on the power play and penalty kill.  Now that he will be the number one center in Carolina, as well as playing alongside brother Eric, look for Staal to increase his offensive numbers in the coming years and help the Hurricanes become more competitive offensively.

Penguins Sign Staal to Four-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Thursday that they have signed center Jordan Staal to a four-year contract extension worth $16 million, which averages out to $4 million per season. Staal was eligible for restricted free agency this summer and could have been a likely candidate for an offer sheet. Staal has struggled offensively this season, scoring 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in 42 games and only has one point in his last nine games played. The Penguins obviously still have high hopes for Staal, who has been the subject of trade rumors over the past year. They feel he has the potential to be a high-scoring forward and important part of the team's future. If Staal can improve his game over the next couple of seasons, he could be a bargain at $4 million per season. If he cannot turn his game around, he will an overpaid, 20-goal scorer that few teams may be interested in acquiring should he hit the trade block.