Jordan Staal has carved out a reputation in the NHL as a forward that no one talks about enough. That’s fine with us. Staal is quietly the best defensive forward on the team year after year, and he does it for nearly 20 minutes per night. He consistently elevates the play of his wingers, and is a possession machine at 59.64% Corsi For Percentage — highest on the team during the regular season.
Staal was relied on less heavily this season, logging 18:17 of time on ice per game played during this year. That’s almost a minute less than last year, which is likely a direct result of Sebastian Aho’s ascension to the 1C spot.