Hurricanes begin contract talks with Jordan Staal
The Carolina Hurricanes are wasting no time in signing the newest Staal addition to the team. Less than one week after trading Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin and a first-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for centre Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes have begun contract talks with the Ontario native, according to the News Observer.
After six seasons with Pittsburgh, Staal surprised a lot of people when he reportedly turned down a 10-year deal from the team that drafted him second overall in 2006. With only one year remaining on his four-year deal, the Penguins opted to cut their losses and trade Staal to the Hurricanes.
Staal stands to earn $4.5 million in the 2012-13 season, his last under contract, with a cap hit of $4 million. Considering that the 23-year-old already turned down a deal in the neighbourhood of $6 million per season, the Hurricanes may have to dig deep to find the deal that works.
Staal posted 25 goals and 25 assists in 62 games with the Penguins last season.
