Few would’ve predicted Carolina Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal would end up lifting the Stanley Cup trophy at the start of the playoffs, let alone winning the Conn Smythe trophy as well.
The 37-year-old Hurricanes captain, who has been an integral part of the franchise over the past 14 years played a key role in helping his side secure its second Stanley Cup trophy.
The last time the Hurricanes lifted the trophy was back in 2006, when Jordan’s brother Eric was part of the team. Twenty years on, another Staal brother has etched his name in hockey history.
“There’s a lot of people that have grown up and been around the Carolinas, where they don’t really know the team without a Staal on it. So it’s kind of funny that this has happened again 20 years later, and obviously Jordan at the front of it, it’s super, super unbelievable,” said Eric after the Hurricanes’ win.
When the Hurricanes last won the cup, Eric too had played a crucial part leading the team in points and finishing fourth in Hart Trophy voting that season.
Speaking to The Athletic about his younger brother’s season, the ex-Cane described in detail the effort his brother put in to achieve the milestone.
“It’s just kind of one of those storybook kind of things. And he was a horse. He was unreal the whole playoff, and the whole year, and the whole last however many years he’s been there. He’s just grinded from Day One, and he deserves it.”
What makes Jordan’s achievement all the more impressive is that at 37 years and 266 days, he is now the oldest recipient of the Conn Smythe honor in NHL history.
Jordan Staal’s daughter hilariously enquires about Brady Tkachuk brawl
After the Hurricanes sealed the Stanley Cup with their Game 6 win against the Vegas Golden Knights, Jordan, accompanied by his three daughters took questions from the media.
Amidst the press conference, his daughter Abigail grabbed the microphone and asked her father as to why he ended up punching Brady Tkachuk.
The incident she was referring to was her father’s fight with the Ottawa Senators captain earlier in the playoffs. Staal could only smile and replied, “I’ll answer that later.”
Edited by Shivayan Roy