With the Penguins looking to the future - and the trade deadline looming - the Penguins have some options at the forward position. Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal [https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/player/jordan-staal-8473533] skated in his 1,300th game on Monday night as his team defeated the Chicago Blackhawks [https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/car-vs-chi/2025/01/20/2024020746/boxscore] 4-3. During Monday's historic night, he became the first skater from his draft class (2006) to reach 1,300 games and is now only the 74th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. Staal skated 431 games over six seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted second overall in 2006, winning the Stanley Cup in 2009. He scored 120 goals and 248 points, earning All-Rookie Team honors and finishing third in Calder Trophy voting in 2006-07. As of 2025, Staal remains the youngest player to score a goal for the Penguins, achieving the feat at 18 and 32 days old. On June 22, 2012, Staal was traded to the Hurricanes [https://thehockeynews.com/news/jordan-staal-trade-works-for-both-penguins-hurricanes] with a first-round pick for Brain Dumoulin and Brandon Sutter. Playing alongside his brother Eric, Jordan eventually became captain of the Hurricanes. He served with Justin Faulk for one year, 2017-18, before assuming the role on his own in 2019-20. Staal has now played 869 games with Carolina and has scored 175 goals and 452 points. By the end of the 2024-25 season, he should be the fourth player in Hurricanes history to dress for 900 games. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEyMTYyNzc0NjIzNTk0MDE5/thnpitnews.png]
