Jordan Staal Is Refusing to Let History Pass Him By
Key Takeaways
- Jordan Staal scored in both Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at 37 years and 267 days old, becoming one of the oldest players to do so in NHL history. - The Hurricanes stole home-ice advantage from Vegas with a Game 2 win, with goals and assists coming from unlikely sources all series long. - Carolina's captain now has more games played in franchise history than his brother Eric, whose number hangs in the rafters in Raleigh. - Game 3 drops Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Two games. Two goals.
And at 37 years and 267 days old, Jordan Staal is doing something that hasn't happened in the NHL in quite some time.
The series is tied 1-1 heading to Las Vegas. Carolina stole home-ice advantage right out from under Vegas in Game 2.
Staal gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the Final when he deflected a shot on the power play in the third period.
Sebastian Aho ended it in overtime. Now the series shifts west with everything to play for.
Who Else Scored in the First Two Games of a Cup Final at This Age?
Staal is now one of the oldest players in NHL history to score in the first two games of a Cup Final.
That's the company. That's the list.
For a guy who entered this Final with exactly one career Cup Final goal — which came with Pittsburgh in 2009, before most of this roster was in high school.
This is not a guy coasting on reputation. A guy who has been waiting years for another crack at this moment.
It gets deeper than the stats, though. Eric Staal's number is in the rafters in Raleigh. Three hundred twenty-two goals. Four hundred fifty-three assists. Seven hundred seventy-five points. The foundation everything else in that franchise was built on.
Jordan has played over nine hundred regular-season games for Carolina, more than any other player since the franchise moved from Hartford.
He's not just chasing a Cup as captain.
He's chasing it in the same building, wearing a different letter on his chest, trying to prove that his version of this story matters just as much as his brother's.
What Does a Second Cup Mean to a Guy Who Already Has One?
The real kicker is that Jordan already has a Cup. He won it with Pittsburgh in 2009 when he was 20 years old and still finding his way. That Cup has his name on it, but it doesn't feel like his. It's connected to someone else's team, someone else's city.
A captain's Cup in Carolina would be separate.
That would be his.
And here's the part nobody's talking about enough: Rod Brind'Amour.
He captained the 2006 Hurricanes team that Eric led to the Cup.
He now coaches the team Jordan is trying to lead there. Brind'Amour has one foot in both stories. He knows exactly what it would mean for Jordan to finish what Eric started in that same building, wearing a separate jersey, carrying another weight.
Can a 37-Year-Old Center Keep Up This Pace Against Vegas?
Game 3 Saturday night in Vegas is where this thing could break open. Carolina has home-ice back after stealing one on the road.
Staal's power play is clicking at exactly the right time.
The question is whether a 37-year-old center can keep dictating the pace of a Cup Final against a team built to win now.
History says maybe not.
But history also said Jordan Staal would never score in a Cup Final again after 2009.
He's already made history look stupid once this series. What's one more time?
FAQ
How old is Jordan Staal in the Stanley Cup Final? He is 37 years and 267 days old — one of the oldest players in NHL history to score in the first two games of a Cup Final.
What record did Jordan Staal break in the Final? He became one of the oldest players to score in each of the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final.
How many career Cup Final goals did Jordan Staal have before 2026? Exactly one, scored with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final.
What is Jordan Staal's relationship to Eric Staal? Jordan is Eric's younger brother. Eric's No. 12 is retired in the rafters at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jordan passed Eric for the most games played in Hurricanes franchise history.
Where is Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final? Game 3 is at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The series is tied 1-1 heading into Saturday's game.