A pleasant surprise to the Penguin season has been the play of 18-year-old Jordan Staal. Entering training camp as a long shot to make the team, this teenager had little expectations himself of being in the pros this year.
That all changed with a decent training camp. Management decided that they had seen enough to warrant a start with the team in October. They had ten days to decide if Staal would stay or be sent back to Juniors. Jordan made the decision harder by playing well, four goals in his first eight games, including several short-handed goals. “Coming into the season, I was only kind of hoping to make the team,” Staal said.
Now, the Penguins are “kind of hoping” he keeps up the good work. With 23 goals, a +14, and an increased workload, this young man would be a leading candidate for rookie of the year, if not for his teammate, Evgeni Malkin. It still may be a close race, before it is all said and done.
The rookie of the year race isn’t the only one Jordan is involved with. His 22 year old brother, Eric, has 24 goals, 29 assists, but a –8 with the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins and the Hurricanes are both fighting for playoff position, so this brotherly love may heat up in the coming months. Just don’t expect Jordal Staal to get any advice from big brother.
“He’s not giving me a whole lot of feedback,” Jordan Staal said, smiling, “He knows I’m coming for him.”
No Staaling Here, Full Speed Ahead
Posted by Chris Wassel on Feb 13, 2007 13:26
