Eric Staal is under contract by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015-16, but all of the attention is on the organization reaching an extension with the captain. Negotiations have reportedly been taking place on and off over the summer, but a new report suggests the two sides aren’t close to reaching a new deal.
According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, negotiations aren’t progressing as fans might hope.
“The last I heard about this is that they’re not close, so that’s going to be interesting.”
Would a change be the best thing for Staal? The 30-year-old has skated with the Hurricanes ever since he made his NHL debut back in 2003-04. He’s been a steady presence for Carolina on offense, but the 2014-15 campaign saw him record his lowest point total (excluding the lockout-shortened season) since his rookie year.
Friedman discussed this possibility:
“I personally believe Eric Staal would benefit from a change. I think it would rejuvenate his career. The thing is, he has a great setup there. Obviously he loves Carolina. The organization loves Eric Staal. His family is there, he has a beautiful home there, he is very comfortable.
I don’t think anybody is going to come out and say that, but I have heard they’re not really that close in negotiations. He has control. He has a no-move clause, just like Cam Ward does. Carolina can’t do anything without his approval.”
Sometimes players get a bit too comfortable. Staal may very well benefit from a change of scenery and his game might improve if he opted to leave the only team he has ever skated for after 2015-16.
There haven’t been any reports suggesting what Staal might be asking for in a new contract, but it’s obvious he won’t be cheap. He’ll make $9.5 million in 2015-16, and while he may have a tough time finding that type of money in a new contract, he should command a fairly steep price.
