NHL Trade Rumors: Blackhawks, Rangers eyeing Eric Staal?
By Josh Hill
The Blackhawks, Rangers and Panthers all have Eric Staal on their trade radar.
The NHL trade deadline is just a few days away, and the frenzy for contenders to acquire the final pieces of their championship puzzles is already starting. P.K. Subban was thrown on to the trade fires earlier this week, and that’s just the tip of the insane iceberg of rumors that has been mounting for months.
One name to keep an eye on at the deadline is that of Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal. It’s rare that a team trades away threat captain in the middle of the season, but the market for Staal seems to be heating up with some heavy hitters.
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the Blackhawks and Rangers are among a handful of teams looking at the possibility of acquiring Staal from the Canes.
Garrioch also mentions the Florida Panthers as a team that could be in on Staal — which is fascinating.
Before the season, the Panthers were looking to take steps forward but not yet arrive as serious Cup contenders. But they’re the fifth best team in hockey right now and firmly holding onto the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic division. Acquiring Staal wouldn’t just make the Panthers even more of a serious threat in the East, but they’d be acquiring him over the Rangers, who are just a point behind Florida in the overall NHL standings.
Either way, there is a market for Staal — as there should be — and Carolina would be wise to create a bidding war among contenders when it comes to offering up their captain’s service.