The Carolina Hurricanes will be without captain Jordan Staal for at least a month after he suffered a calf tear during pregame warmups in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Captain sidelined after injury before Flyers game
Staal was hurt before Carolina’s 4-1 road win over the Philadelphia Flyers and will be out longer than four weeks if the injury does not heal on the initial timetable, coach Rod Brind’Amour said Tuesday.
The 37-year-old center has yet to record a point through six games this season, but his value remains central to Carolina’s defensive structure. He has logged a team-high 2:53 of shorthanded ice time per game among Hurricanes forwards and has taken 124 faceoffs, the most on the roster.
- Injury: torn calf
- Expected absence: at least one month
- Injury timing: warmups before Sunday’s game at Philadelphia
- Carolina’s result Sunday: 4-1 win over the Flyers
Staal coming off Cup-winning postseason
Carolina’s captain enters the season after one of the strongest playoff runs of his career. Staal produced 12 points, including eight goals, in 19 postseason games as the Hurricanes captured the Stanley Cup.
Six of those goals came in the Cup Final, and Staal was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
He finished the 2025-26 regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points in 75 games.
Long-standing place in Hurricanes history
Staal has spent 15 seasons in Carolina and sits near the top of the franchise record book in both games played and scoring.
- Regular season with Carolina: 978 games, 198 goals, 301 assists, 499 points
- Franchise standing in games played: second in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history
- Franchise standing in points: fifth
- Playoff production with Carolina: 23 goals, 26 assists, 49 points in 108 games
- Postseason games record: tied with Sebastian Aho for the most in team history
Next puck drop
The Hurricanes bring a 5-1-1 record into Tuesday night’s home meeting with the Washington Capitals. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET, with the game airing on HHN, CARNHL and MNMT.
