What Happened
The Carolina Hurricanes ruled out captain Jordan Staal for Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers because of a lower-body injury. The team announced the move before the contest, and it is unclear when Staal was hurt. He logged 14:12 of ice time in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, slightly below his season average. Staal, 38, had appeared in all six of Carolina's games this season without recording a point.
Key Details
- Staal was ruled out by the team ahead of Sunday's game against Philadelphia.
- The lower-body injury is undisclosed and the timing of it is unclear.
- He played 14:12 in Saturday's 5-2 win over Chicago, just under his season average.
- Staal, 38, has no points in six games this season.
- Last season he had 20 goals and 36 points in 75 games, then won the Conn Smythe Trophy.
- Carolina re-signed him to a one-year deal this summer for his 21st NHL season.
What It Means
Staal remains a central figure in Carolina's forward group, and his absence removes the captain and a veteran centre from the lineup. The Hurricanes opened Sunday atop the Metropolitan Division at 4-1-1, so the immediate question is how the team fills his minutes while the injury is evaluated. No timeline has been provided.
What's Next
Carolina will continue its schedule without Staal while the club assesses the lower-body injury. No return timeline has been announced, and his status for upcoming games is not yet known.