Beyond the scoresheet, Carolina’s captain is outworking father time. By matching historic scoring records and anchoring a stifling defense, the veteran warrior has become the Hurricanes’ ultimate postseason weapon.
The Conn Smythe Trophy is presented annually to the player deemed "the most valuable for his team in the playoffs."
While a lot of the time, the top scorers or the stalwart netminders are the ones presented with the award at the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there's another case to be presented when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes.
If the Hurricanes, who are up 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, do indeed go on to win it all, there's no doubt in my mind that the award should go to Canes captain Jordan Staal.
For one, no player has had a bigger impact in this final round than "Jordo."
"It’s his personality and who he is as a person and as a player," said Jackson Blake. "He’s been around for a long time, so he's been through a lot of stuff. And he's so consistent. I don't know what it is about him, but he's a dog, if I'm gonna be honest. He does everything, and I just think it's how bad he wants to win. We all want to win so bad, but he's playing like it's his last games right now. That's how good he's playing."
The 37-year-old veteran centerman has seemingly turned back the clock and has been delivering a performance for the ages.
Staal has scored in every game of the Final so far, becoming just the first player since 1956 to accomplish that feat and just the fourth overall (Jean Beliveau - 1956; Maurice Richard - 1951; Cyclone Taylor - 1918) and in total, he's potted six goals and registered seven points.
"Good company," Staal said. "But I'm looking for wins and finding ways to help get the lead."
He's put the team on his back in the final round and now they're one win away from enshrining themselves in history.
"The playoffs, until you've done it and actually lived it and been through, it's a massive grind, mentally and physically," said Rod Brind'Amour. "So to do it at his age just says a lot about him. He’s our guy and he's our warrior. I'm really happy for him. You guys are getting to see it. I got to see this for I don’t know how many years. Fourteen. Every day. So I’m very fortunate."
For the casual observers, they might say, 'Oh, well, actually, It's an award for the entire playoffs, not just the Final,' and to that, I'll just be assuming you didn't watch the rest of the Hurricanes playoff run.
In total, the Hurricanes captain has eight goals and 12 total points in 18 games, and almost all of them have been in big moments.
Five of Staal's goals have either been equalizing or go-ahead tallies and eight of his points fit that category as well.
"It's not necessarily that you're expecting him to put up those kind of numbers, but when he does, that’s an added bonus," Brind'Amour said. "And, I mean, he deserves it. He’s playing great, but we’ve got to get that one more still, and he knows it. He’ll have our group ready."
But it's also everything beyond the scoresheet that makes him so special, especially his work defensively.
Staal has allowed just six 5v5 goals against in over 230 minutes of ice time in the playoffs, while being on the ice for 12 by his own team.
He has controlled 60% of the chance share and 56% of the scoring chances and high-danger chances.
This is all while getting the hardest matchups every night, and yet the captain has won every one of his matchups, not allowing a single goal against from any of the centers he's been matched up against these playoffs.
"He's big and strong and he takes every shift like it's his last," Brind'Amour said. "And he takes a lot of pride in that and in being the leader of this team. He does it by example. We've put some good players with him that now can really kind of bring out the other side of him. Everyone knew he was a really good defensive player, but he's got some real offensive abilities too, it's just for whatever reason now, the goals are going in. But he's always played like this."
But it also isn't just his work at 5v5 either.
Staal is the leader for the penalty kill, which is currently operating at a 91.2% success rate in these playoffs, as he's always the first over the boards every time.
While shorthanded, the Canes have only allowed six total power play goals against, while scoring once shorthanded themselves, even despite having one of the highest penalized rates in the playoffs.
Staal has also been a key piece on the power play, not only scoring three power play goals himself, but also winning nearly 66% of his draws on the man advantage.
The big man has also set the tone physically for the Hurricanes, being second on the team in hits with 84 and who can forget his postseason opening fight against Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
In addition, no center has taken more draws this postseason than Jordan Staal either and yet he's won 56.4% of them and is above 50% on draws both while shorthanded and in the defensive zone.
"He just does all the little things right," said Logan Stankoven. "He plays in all situations: penalty kill, shutdown, power play now, and just takes all of our key draws and now he's finding the score sheet. He's a Swiss army knife and just been an incredible leader for us."
And all of this doesn't even get into the fact that he's the leader of the locker room too. Staal is the guy that has set the tone and motivates his teammates every game to bring their all.
"He does all the small things that people don't notice and he brings it every single night and he's a big leader, good leader in this room and leads by example, so he's been unbelievable," said Nikolaj Ehlers.
Jordan Staal is the do-it-all captain for the Carolina Hurricanes.
He's the heart and soul of this team and they wouldn't be here without him. He brings it every game, every shift and his importance is second to none on the time.
And that's exactly why he should be the Conn Smythe favorite.
"We're not here today without Jordan Staal," Brind'Amour said. "I can promise you that.
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