RALEIGH, NC. - Eric Tulsky, General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Eric Staal to a one-day contract and that Staal will retire from the NHL as a member of the Hurricanes. Additionally, the team will retire Staal’s number 12 at a to-be-determined date during the 2024-25 NHL season.
“Eric is a uniquely central figure in franchise history,” said Tulsky. “Throughout his time in the Triangle, he made an immeasurable impact on his teammates, the organization and the community. We look forward to raising number 12 to the rafters and celebrating the career of a man who has meant so much to hockey fans in North Carolina.”
Staal, 39, ranks first in team history (since relocation) in goals (322), assists (453), points (775), games played (909), power-play goals (105), power-play points (252) and hat tricks (13). He registered 1,063 points (455g, 608a) in 1,365 career games over 18 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, Rangers, Wild, Sabres, Canadiens and Panthers. Staal won the Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006, leading the team in playoff scoring with 28 points (9g, 19a) and recording at least a point in 20 of 25 playoff contests that year. He established a franchise record playoff point streak during that run, lasting from Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round vs. Montreal through Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final vs. Buffalo (4/24/06-5/28/06: 7g, 13a).
“I want to thank my family, former teammates, coaches and staff members who played a role in helping me live my dream, playing in the NHL,” said Staal. “I will forever treasure the memories and friendships made during my 18 years in the world’s best league."
“From the time I arrived in Raleigh at 18 years old and throughout my 12 years there, I felt the love and support of the fans and organization in a way that will always feel special to me. There was no doubt in my mind that when it became time to hang up my skates, I would want to retire as a Carolina Hurricane. To now also know that the team is retiring my No. 12 is truly humbling and I am extremely grateful and honored.”
Selected second overall by the Hurricanes in the 2003 NHL Draft, Staal posted the only 100-point season in Hurricanes history (45g, 55a) in just his second NHL campaign in 2005-06. He also set team single-season records for goals, points and even-strength points (22-34—56) and tied Cory Stillman and Rod Brind’Amour for the records in assists (55) and power-play goals (19), respectively. Staal set another team single-season record with four hat tricks in 2008-09, including a performance at Tampa Bay on March 7 in which he tied the franchise records for goals (4) and points (6) in a single game. He was traded to NY Rangers on Feb. 28, 2016, and left as the Hurricanes’ career leader in goals, assists, points, games played, penalty minutes (678), even-strength goals (201), even-strength points (502), shorthanded goals (16), shorthanded points (21), game-winning goals (47) and shots on goal (3,033).
Staal is the only player in franchise history to represent the Hurricanes/Whalers at four consecutive NHL All-Star Games (2007-09, 2011), earning All-Star MVP honors in 2008. He served as one of two team captains for the league’s first-ever All-Star Game Draft in Raleigh in 2011. Staal was also named a Second-Team NHL All-Star in 2005-06, and he is one of two players in Hurricanes history to be selected to one of the league’s end-of-season All-Star teams. He wore a letter for nine of his 12 seasons in Carolina, spending two seasons as an alternate captain (2007-09) before being named the 13th captain in franchise history on Jan. 20, 2010. Staal scored a hat trick in a 5-2 win over Atlanta in his first game wearing the ”C” the following day, and he still stands as the longest tenured captain in Hurricanes history.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native represented Canada at numerous international tournaments, including the IIHF World Championships in 2007, 2008 and 2013, and the Olympic Games in 2010 and 2022. Staal is one of just 30 players in the Triple Gold Club, which includes players to win the Stanley Cup (2006), World Championship gold (2007) and Olympic gold (2010). Eric (1,365 GP) and his younger brothers Jordan (1,253 GP) and Marc (1,136 GP) are the only trio of brothers in NHL history to each play at least 1,000 career games.
