Eric Staal is back in the NHL!
After announcing his retirement two years ago, Staal comes back to one of his former teams. Full details below:
On Wednesday morning, Eric Staal returned to the National Hockey League when the Buffalo Sabres announced that they had hired the former centre to be assistant to the general manager.
Staal played 18 years in the NHL, spending one of them with the Sabres in 2020-21. He announced his retirement following the 2022-23 season.
The former talented forward, who won a Stanley Cup title in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes, will report directly to general manager Kevyn Adams and will assist in all aspects of the hockey department, including scouting and direct involvement with players and prospects, the team said in a release.
“As I looked for ways to enhance our existing staff, I wanted to add somebody to our group that has a fresh perspective and the direct experience of winning at all levels of hockey,” Adams said. “Eric was one of the first people I thought of when I originally became general manager, so it is fitting that he is the first addition to our organization this offseason. He has done it all as a player and I know his experience and knowledge will be invaluable to our team as we look to take the next step.”
Staal explained why he chose to join Buffalo as his first go in a management role despite his number 12 being retired by the Hurricanes.
“Although it was short, I loved my time in Buffalo and as a player I was lucky to get a small glimpse of what makes the city such a special place and a terrific sports town,” Staal said.
“Throughout my career I was fortunate to be on so many successful teams and I hope I can lean on some of those experiences to help the organization moving forward. I’m thankful to Kevyn for giving me this opportunity and I’m eager to lend my experience to help in any way that I can.”
Staal played a total of 1,365 career NHL games for the Sabres, Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers. He finished with 455 goals and 1,063 points in his career.
