Jordan Staal, Canadian ice hockey player
Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills and ability to score and set up shorthanded goals. In 2007, he became the youngest player (18 years and 153 days) to score a hat trick in league history.
Staal grew up playing minor hockey for the Thunder Bay Kings AAA organization. After his minor midget year, Staal was selected in the first round (2nd overall) by the Peterborough Petes. He was the second Staal in the NHL, after older brother Eric was drafted second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. After a two-year Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career, in which he won a J. Ross Robertson Cup and appeared in the 2006 Memorial Cup with the Peterborough Petes, Staal was drafted second overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He made the immediate jump from junior to the NHL after being drafted and set several NHL records in his rookie season, including youngest player to score on a penalty shot, to score two shorthanded goals in one game, to score a hat trick and the most shorthanded goals by a rookie in one season. Staal was also a Calder Memorial Trophy nominee and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.
Among his former Penguins teammates, Staal was known as "Gronk." The nickname, a reference to a Marvel comic book supervillain, was given to him by former Penguins teammate Colby Armstrong, because of his strong on-ice presence. Staal won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Penguins in 2009, scoring two goals and an assist in the seven-game series against the Detroit Red Wings. One year prior, he lost the 2008 finals against the same Red Wings.
Jordan Staal is one of three brothers currently playing professional hockey in the NHL. The eldest, Eric, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, also played for (and captained) the Hurricanes until February 28, 2016. The youngest and fourth brother, Jared, made his NHL debut on April 25, 2013, on a line together with Jordan and Eric before retiring in 2017. The second-eldest, Marc, plays defence for the Detroit Red Wings.