“There’s a lot to admire from a coach’s standpoint. There’s a ton of things. You talk about consistency in people, that’s what he is. The fact that he just does it right on and off the ice. He’s the kind of person you want representing your organization,” Brind’Amour continued.
That sentiment is felt all the way up the totem pole within the franchise, including the team’s chief decision maker.
“Jordan has been an incredible leader for this team,” General Manager Eric Tulsky praised. “His ability to defend against the opponents’ best players every night makes everyone else’s job easier, and his relentless and powerful play down low in the offensive zone sets the tone for our team shift after shift. He makes this team what it is.”
As Tulsky alluded to, it’s not always the glitz and glamour that makes Staal’s game so strong. It’s the necessary things that he’s successful at. Since Staal became a Hurricane ahead of the 2012-13 season, he ranks fifth among all NHL skaters in the faceoff dot (min. 10,000 faceoffs), winning 56.1% of his attempts.
One of just six players to win 1,000 faceoffs while shorthanded, his 1746:26 played while down a man ranks fourth-most out of 1,624 players during that timeframe.
But even when a teammate takes an errant penalty, or the Canes are going through a tough stretch, Staal knows the right button to push and the correct message to send. Seldom are there screaming matches or thrown equipment.
“It’s nice for a team when your Captain is even-keeled at all times,” Martinook appreciated. “If something needs to be said, he says it, and when he does, it hits home a lot harder than when he’s rah rah all the time. I just love that about him.”
