One would hope that the Carolina Hurricanes would get something like a lite version of what the Sedin twins have in pairing Eric Staal and Jordan Staal, but it turns out that isn’t quite as simple.
Instead, it’s been a learning process, as Eric told NHL.com that he spent most of his life competing against (rather than alongside) his brother Jordan.
“I’ve never played with him in my life,” Eric said. “Even on the outdoor rink we played against each other, so it’s not like I have anything to go on. I’ve watched him my whole life. I know his game, what he does, what he’s good at and what I’m good at, but we’re figuring it out as we go.”
The profile points out that the two have combined for 20 points since pairing up (Jordan in the middle, Eric moving to the wing) on Dec. 29. Eric remarked that “we’re a threat every night.”
After years of carrying depth linemates, it must be a luxury for Jordan to play with a partner as talented as his brother. It makes sense that his strategy is simply to get Eric the puck, then. Their size and skill remind their brother Marc Staal of playing against Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
It’s probably safe to say that it’s too late for the sibling pairing to be something opponents worry about (beyond being a spoiler threat), yet such comparisons have to give Carolina some much-needed hope for the future.