Eric Staal has not been asked to waive his no-trade clause with the Feb. 29 trade deadline looming, the lifelong Carolina Hurricanes forward said Thursday, according to TSN1200's Ian Mendes. Not yet, at least.
An unrestricted free agent at season's end, Staal said contract talks with the Hurricanes are ongoing, but he is "not going to be crushed if a decision is made and I'm moving on," he added.
Staal's play can't have suitors knocking on general manager Ron Francis' door. The 31-year-old's having his worst season, with only nine goals and 30 points in 57 games, He has one goal and five assists in 2016, and is yet to find the scoresheet in February, going pointless in six games.
"I don't know anything different," Staal said about life in Carolina. "I was drafted by this organization, won a Stanley Cup here as a young player and committed long term to being here and I feel like, you know, I know no other way. And as an NHL player, not a lot of people can say that.
"But the reality is it's a business, there's decisions that are made as you move forward. I'm at the end of my contract and we'll see how it shakes out here in the next little bit. ... Right now my focus is helping this team win games and pick up points because we're learning how to win, learning how to get better every day. It's been fun to see some of these young guys develop and improve."
Staal's earning a whopping $9.25 in salary this season and he carries an $8.25-million cap hit.
The Hurricanes and Staal won a Stanley Cup in 2006, but have only made the playoffs in one season since.
