Staal talks Stadium Series, hockey in Raleigh in Q&A with NHL.com

In NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with …" we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. Today, we feature Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jordan Staal has been with the Carolina Hurricanes for more than 10 years and played 715 regular-season games. His family ties to the area trace further back to when his brother, Eric Staal, was selected by the Hurricanes with the No. 2 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft.
Jordan Staal, who has been Carolina's captain for the past four seasons, has seen buildings go up in downtown, the general population in the market grow, hockey boom and the Hurricanes emerge from non-factor for so many years to one of the best teams in the NHL year after year.
So to be a part of the Hurricanes first outdoor game and to see 56,961 pack Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday to watch Carolina skate to a 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals in the
2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series
certainly meant more to Staal than arguably all of his teammates.
RELATED: [2023 NHL Stadium Series coverage]
He has been a Hurricane longer than every single one of them.
"The show was unbelievable," Staal said. "Just an amazing night."
The Hurricanes are back in action Tuesday, hosting the St. Louis Blues indoors at PNC Arena, just across the parking lot from Carter-Finley Stadium. They are first in the Metropolitan Division, gearing up for their fifth straight trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after not making it the previous nine years.
Staal spoke to NHL.com prior to the Stadium Series game and in a Q&A, he talked about life in Raleigh, the Hurricanes' success, why they continue to be one of the most consistent teams in the NHL and how they get back what they won in 2006, the Stanley Cup.
So we're here in Raleigh for an outdoor game. You've been here the longest of anybody on the Hurricanes now and your family's tie to the area goes back to 2003, when your brother was drafted by the Hurricanes. When you think about how far this has come here, what comes to mind, what thoughts pop in your head?
"Hockey in general in Raleigh, how much it has grown even from when I came in (has been impressive). I mean, when Eric came in, it was a blip on pretty much everyone's radar here. I've watched our fanbase grow. I've watched more and more kids putting on hockey equipment and trying out the game of hockey and falling in love with it like I did. To see the game grow here and it really has become a hockey town, it's a privilege to be a part of it. It really is."
Why do people love living here so much?
"It's got a smalltown feel. It's spread out and it's just kind of a slower city but you still get some of the fast-paced stuff. But I think it's a little bit of a slower city with great weather and the people here are just great. It's just really fun to live here."
If you lived here and didn't play hockey, would you be a Caniac?
"Most likely, yes."
Can you describe a Caniac?
"That was a (Hurricanes TV analyst) Tripp Tracy thing. He started it. I've been here a long time and we've had some rough years, but there are still Caniacs out there and now they're doubling, second generation."
We see it on the ice, year after year since Rod Brind'Amour became coach in 2018, the Hurricanes are a steady, consistent, good team. Why?
"Well, Rod for one. Rod is a big part of that. Ever since (owner) Tom (Dundon) took over the team (in 2017), we've been spending right up to the cap and pushing that. Then we obviously have some great players. We play a system that is hard to play against. It's grueling nights for the opponent and we have the talent to boot. It's been a lot of different things from Tom to Rod to just the talent that we have in the room, and the young guys who we have drafted have really become complete players. It's all those things combined."
But what is it like to be patient, to wait for your next opportunity in the playoffs knowing as good as the team has been, it still hasn't gotten over the hump yet in the playoffs? How hard is it to stay patient through the grind knowing that next opportunity is around the corner?
"I mean, there's lots of teams that go through that, obviously, but you want to put it all together. It really is kind of the beauty of this league, they don't just give it to you, you've got to work for it. it doesn't just happen every year. But to have the team that we believe can win is always a good feeling and to put it all together is obviously even a bigger and better one. But it's not easy. I think we've learned a lot through the years and we can always keep learning, but hopefully the pieces that we have in this room this year and the stuff that we've learned over the years will help push us over the edge."
What has the team learned over the years? For example, what's the takeaway from losing to the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the second round last season or defeating the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round?
"It's a grind. Playoffs is another animal. Everyone knows it and everyone loves watching it for that reason. The ante gets built up and the speed and the intensity. Really, I think a lot of it, especially that Rangers series, I don't think we were patient enough. We started getting antsy and a lot of times throughout the season we'd jump on teams in the first period and we'd end the game quick. Sometimes it doesn't work that way. We've got to stay consistent with our game all the way through. It's the team that makes the least amount of mistakes wins and I think we could have done a better job with that. But really it's just a matter of putting it all together. I mean, we went to Game 7 with Boston and I'm sure they believed they could have won it and they lost. We went right to Game 7 with the Rangers and we would have liked to not to, but it was right there for us and we wouldn't be talking about it if we moved on from there. But we're right there and we have a group that we believe can do it. This will be another shot at it."