Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, the playoff MVP in their Stanley Cup championship run last season, will miss one to two months with a torn calf muscle, the team announced Tuesday.
Staal, 38, was a late scratch for the Hurricanes' game in Philadelphia on Sunday. He suffered the injury while warming up before Carolina's pregame skate.
Coach Rod Brind'Amour said after the game that the injury "came up last minute" and that "hopefully, it's nothing serious" that would keep Staal out long term. On Tuesday, Brind'Amour offered an update, saying Staal's partially torn calf muscle will keep him out "anywhere from a month to two months."
Staal had no points in six games for Carolina, which is 5-1-1 to start the season. Playing in his 21st season, Staal is considered one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL, anchoring an effective third line with wingers Jordan Martinook and Nikolaj Ehlers.
Staal was a driving force behind Carolina's Stanley Cup Final win over the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring six goals in six games. Overall, he had 12 points in 19 postseason games while shutting down top offensive opponents, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
The center, who has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has 1,409 career games, 318 goals and 429 assists (747 points). He's a two-time finalist for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward but has yet to win the award.
The Hurricanes host the Washington Capitals as part of the NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday night.
