Carolina Hurricanes · Center · Shoots L

Jordan Staal

Age 38 · 6'4" · 220 lb · Born in Thunder Bay, CAN

Cap hit

$2.9M

2.8% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

—

arrives with the trade tools

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

17:17

PP 1:28 · PK 4:43

xGF%

0.0

5v5, -54.4 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.14

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

11 W · 11 L

Plus/minus

Blocks 1 · Hits 7

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Sep 29 vs FLA · OTL 1-0	0	0	0	7	1	17:17	1:28	4:43	11-11	100	0	0	0	-0.14
Jun 14 @ VGK · W 3-0	0	0	1	2	0	17:02	1:04	2:37	14-8	0	0	0	0	-0.29
Jun 11 vs VGK · W 4-2	1	0	3	5	1	17:22	2:02	1:58	14-5	50	1	0	0	+0.23
Jun 9 @ VGK · W 5-3	2	0	4	2	1	16:34	0:41	3:09	12-4	50	0	1	+2	+1.49
Jun 6 @ VGK · OTL 5-4	1	1	5	3	0	23:16	1:29	0:59	18-9	67	3	0	+1	+0.93

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 934 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%54.4%

83rd percentile

Relative xGF%-3.4

26th percentile

HDCF%53.4%

72nd percentile

CF%59.1%

98th percentile

Relative CF%-1.3

38th percentile

FF%58.4%

97th percentile

GF%48.8%

46th percentile

CF/6067.9

94th percentile

CA/6047.1

98th percentile

ixG/601.24

72nd percentile

Goals above expected+0.8

69th percentile

IPP69.2%

66th percentile

PDO96.6

14th percentile

OZS%50.0%

43rd percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleAggressive two-way center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Staal is a high-motor player who creates chances through relentless forechecking and impressive rush entry ability. He generates offense from premium scoring areas but does not initiate plays from the perimeter at an elite level.

ForecheckingRush playerPhysical

Shooting volume: 54
Playmaking: 47
Zone entries(est.): 88
Forechecking: 79
Physicality: 76
Defensive impact: 53
Puck management: 65
Speed: 60

Where he shoots from

Slot 60% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 10%(184 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite rush chances creation at 88th percentile enables transition offense
Strong forechecking at 79th percentile drives puck recovery and pressure
High-danger shots from slot area at 60% of all attempts

Watch-outs

Playmaking at 47th percentile limits perimeter set-up potential
Shooting volume at 54th percentile shows modest shot generation rate

Similar style: Connor Dewar (PIT), Alex Turcotte (LAK)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 75 GP · goals above average

Season total +3.8 goals, or +0.05 per game.

Even strength offense: +0.5
Even strength defense: +0.8
Power play: +0.6
Finishing: +0.9
Playmaking: -1.6
Penalties: +0.9
Faceoffs: +1.7

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	SOG	TOI/GP	FO%	GS/GP
2026-27	CAR	1	0	0	0	0	0	17:17	—	-0.14
2025-26	CAR	75	20	16	36	+5	107	16:11	55.5%	+0.05
2024-25	CAR	75	13	23	36	+15	107	15:26	54.5%	+0.04
2023-24	CAR	80	10	20	30	-14	123	15:23	58.1%	-0.06
2022-23	CAR	81	17	17	34	+7	124	16:16	55.7%	-0.01

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 20.6 mph; 47th pct
20+ mph bursts: 1
Hardest shot: —
Distance: 3.0 mi
OZ time: 33.4%; 5th pct
DZ time: 48.9%