Jordan Staal was reunited with older brother Eric when he was sent to the Carolina Hurricanes this evening in a blockbuster draft-day deal. In exchange for Staal, Pittsburgh received the Hurricanes' first round pick (8th overall), young center Brandon Sutter, and defenseman Brian Dumoulin.
With the pick that they acquired from Carolina, the Penguins selected defenseman Derrick Pouliot out of Portland of the WHL.
The handwriting was on the wall when Staal, a free agent following the upcoming 2012/2013 season, rejected a 10 year contract offer in the $60 million range.
Staal was the Penguins third-line center during his six year career with Pittsburgh, and he established himself as one of the best two-way players in the NHL.
Staal rejecting the contract offer from the Penguins may have had more to do with his desire to join his brother Eric in Carolina as well as move up to a first or second line center than it may have had to do with money. Although, I'm sure money did play a factor, but there was no way Staal was going to be able to earn top-dollar playing for the Penguins.
Just shy of his 24th birthday, Staal has played his entire career behind centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby is 24 and widely regarded as the best player in the world, and Malkin is 25 and is not only in the same neighborhood as Crosby in terms of talent, he just won the scoring title and the league MVP.
Like Staal, both Crosby and Malkin are going to be seeking new contracts in the coming years, and someone had to go.
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