Hurricanes Captain Comments on Future in Carolina

After being eliminated by the Florida Panthers and once again falling short of the Stanley Cup Final, the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to make drastic changes this summer. Look for several of their free agents to be let go and their goaltending landscape to change. One thing that sounds certain it won't be changing is the team's captain situation. Sounds like Jordan Staal isn't going anywhere.

Captain Jordan Staal, an unrestricted free agent this summer, says he doesn't plan on going anywhere.

"I want to be here. I want to be a part of this group. I love these guys and I love this organization... I want to finish my career off here." pic.twitter.com/9JejknFohP

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) May 26, 2023

Jordan Staal: "I don't plan on going anywhere."

Says he's confident a deal gets done.

— Ryan Henkel (@RyanHenkel_) May 26, 2023

The 34-year-old Staal appeared in 81 games in 2022-23, recording 17 goals and 34 points. While his offensive game has slowed down of late, he's still one of the best in the faceoff circle and can flourish in a shut-down role. 

Following a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Staal has been a staple for the 'Canes for over a decade and he's right, he's not going anywhere. He'll just need to budge on his contract. Last season Staal made $6 million. Expect to see his new average annual value around $4 million next season.

Photo credit:   Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports