SUNRISE, Fla. --Marc Staal just keeps on going.
In the midst of his 16th season in the NHL, the towering defenseman continues to be a model of durability despite playing the type of game that usually results in far more bruises than points.
Q&A: Catching up with Marc Staal after 1,100 NHL games
One of just six players on the Florida Panthers to not miss a single game this season, Staal, known around the locker room as "Big Staaler," ranks second on the team with 120 blocked shots.
"He always plays hard on the ice," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said of Staal, who's also racked up three goals and 12 assists. "He blocks shots, takes hits and give hits."
That being said, some of the best work doesn't show up on the scoresheet.
Suiting up in the 1,100th game of his NHL career on Monday, the 36-year-old veteran helped the Panthers inch a little bit closer to the playoffs and secure a crucial point in the standings with his great stickwork during a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at FLA Live Arena.
After breaking up a 2-on-1 rush early in the third period to keep the deficit at 1-0, Staal recorded the secondary assist on Brandon Montour's late game-tying goal when he used his twig to break up yet another pass in the defensive zone and kickstart the eventual scoring sequence.
"You find that for veteran players this just means more to them," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said afterwards. "The pressure games are just more valuable to them. He was great."
Following a recent practice at FLA Live Arena, I had a chance to talk to Staal about the keys to his longevity, the excitement of pushing for a playoff spot and much more.
OLIVE: What goes through your head when you hear 1,100 games in the NHL?
STAAL: I'm obviously happy I'm still playing. You start to reach these kind of milestones as you get going. When you do, you kind of just look back and appreciate the journey and the ride. It doesn't really change with the more games you play after a certain point.
OLIVE: Would you say you have any personal keys to longevity?
STAAL: Like anyone that's played this long, it's just consistency, showing up to work and trying to do your best. For me, I come to the rink, I get on the ice, and every game I play like someone's there to take my job, and it's true. You want to make sure that you show up every day, work hard and do your job. I've tried to do that every day during my career and continue to do that now.
OLIVE: It's been a little over a decade since your career nearly came to an abrupt end after you took a puck to the eye while playing for the New York Rangers. How much did that experience make you appreciate each day in the NHL even more?
STAAL:Yeah, it definitely put things into perspective pretty quickly. Things can change pretty quickly in this game. That was a scary moment, for sure. I didn't know if I was going to be able to play again. I've been fortunate to get through that and play most of my career with the injury. It's not easy to stay healthy in this league for a long time, but I've been pretty fortunate that way.
OLIVE: I assume it's especially not easy when you block as many shots as you do. After 1,100 games in the NHL, how have you learned to stay healthy despite taking such a beating on the ice?
STAAL: Getting up in the morning gets harder as you get going, for sure. But I think the more you play, the more in tune you are with your own body and what you need on a day-to-day basis with treating yourself the right way and getting yourself prepared. I think you get smarter as you go. Early on, you don't realize you're sore and you just play through things. As you go through your career, you get much more aware of what you need to do be at your best.
OLIVE: You always hear about playing through the pain in sports. How much do you pride yourself on being able to do just that?
STAAL:There's a lot of nights where you just don't feel good. As you play, the longer you play, you learn to adapt in those games for what you're capable of and how you're feeling and how you need to adjust. You play through bumps and bruises. Things you can play through, you play through. Things you can't, you can't. I've been fortunate this year to not deal with anything too major.
OLIVE: How much have you enjoyed playing with Brandon Montour this season?
STAAL: He's a very fun guy to play with. You watch him every day, what he can do with the puck. He demands it. He wants to have it on his stick. For me, I just try to talk as much as I can on the ice and be as predictable as I can. He's unpredictable at times, which makes him hard to cover, but also so dangerous. If he knows where I am and what I'm doing, it makes his job easier.
OLIVE: At this stage of your career, is the Stanley Cup still that carrot dangling in front of you?
STAAL: Absolutely. Signing here in the summer, I was excited to have a chance to get back into the playoffs. Right now, we're right there. We've just got to finish the job here and get another crack at it. That's the ultimate goal you dream of as a kid. You dream of getting to the NHL and then playing for the Stanley Cup.
OLIVE: I imagine one of the ultimate perks of playing this long is getting to share these experiences with your three kids. It seems like you've gotten to the point now where your career won't be something they hear about, but something they shared in. How much does that mean to you?
STAAL: It's very cool. I remember when I was just starting out having older guys bring their kids into the locker room and just thinking about how cool that was. To have that opportunity now is awesome. After a win, they get to roll in like the own the place [laughs]. They love coming to games for that reason. They love hanging with the guys after games in the room. Like you said, they'll remember that now. Luckily I've played long enough to be able to have those memories.
