2 Potential Landing Spots For Eric Staal

At this said time, Eric Staal is still a free agent. Although he is no longer the star center he was once, he could be a nice addition for a team looking to add some depth to their forward group. After being traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Montreal Canadiens this past season, he worked excellently on their fourth-line. He could very well do the same if he signs with a new team, too. In 53 games this season between the two teams, he scored five goals and recorded 13 points. Although his offense has dropped off noticeably, he comes with a plethora of experience, which always is a good thing. 

Montreal Canadiens: If the Canadiens are able to fit Staal in and stay below the salary cap, it could be an avenue worth going down again. As previously stated, he was an excellent addition the Habs at the end of the last season because of his leadership. He also produced fairly well during the postseason, too, as he scored two goals and recorded eight points in 21 games. They already lost one grizzled veteran in Corey Perry this off-season, so they could benefit keeping Staal around as a mentor. 

Carolina Hurricanes: The Carolina Hurricanes have a ton of cap space, so they could bring back their former fan favorite on a league-minimum deal easily. It would be amazing to see him return to Carolina, as he is one of their most popular historical figures ever. He won a Stanley Cup there in 2006 and could be a nice team booster to try to help them win again this upcoming season. Also, it would be so cool to see him reunite with his brother Jordan for one last season in the league. 

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