Should the Edmonton Oilers trade their top pick for Jordan Staal?
On Hockey Night in Canada, there was much speculation that Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins could be had for the right price, mainly because the Penguins might want to change things up and Staal might want a bigger role on a new team, as he is playing behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin right now. Said analyst Glenn Healey: “This player is not going to ask to be traded but the hockey world knows something has got to happen.”Staal will be 25 in September, but is already a veteran of six NHL seasons. He’s an unrestricted free agent after the 2012-13 season. He has one year left on a $4 million per year contract.
* Staal is coming off his best season, with 25 goals and 50 points in 62 games. He missed a chunk of games this year with a sprained MCL, and an even bigger chunk last year with a broken hand.
* No Pittsburgh forward, save for Sidney Crosby, played against tougher competition than Staal.
* Staal was likely a bit lucky, shooting 17 per cent, four percentage points above his career average. With Crosby out for most of year, and playing behind Evgeni Malkin, Staal had the same position he’d have on the Oilers, top-line centre playing the tough competition, with RNH getting softer competition and far more offensive zone faceoffs.
* In his last four years, he’s been good for about two points every three games.
* Staal is 6-feet, 4-inches, 220 pounds. He won 51 per cent of his faceoffs, and did well on short-handed faceoffs. He had 101 hits in his 61 games.
* Staal was red hot in the playoffs with six goals and nine points in six playoff games. He played almost 20 minutes a game, but got less than half the power play time of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.