Pittsburgh Penguins without Staal for season opener
When the Pittsburgh Penguins begin their pre-season training camp today it will be without star centerman Jordan Staal. Staal will reportedly be out 5 to 6 weeks needing time to cure an infection in his right foot which has now gone under the knife twice.
Staal received the injury during last season's play-off series against the Montreal Canadiens after colliding with Canadiens' rookie defenceman P.K. Subban. Staal's right root was sliced by Subban's skate splitting a tendon. Amazingly, Staal received one
surgery immediately after receiving the injury and returned to finish the series before the Penguins were eventually eliminated by the Canadiens in 7 games.
Staal received surgery again during the off-season forcing him off the ice the entire summer. Despite his renowned strong threshold for pain, Staal is expected to miss the entire Penguins training camp and the first few weeks of the regular season. If there
is one NHL team with depth enough to not be crippled by such a setback it is the Pittsburgh Penguins who once again will begin as early favorites to compete for the Stanley Cup. With centers Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin, the Penguins have an abundance
of talent at the position. The Pittsburgh Penguins will, however, miss Staal's work ethic and other intangibles that he brings to the table. His presence on the penalty kill and in the face-off circle could also hurt the Penguins come their season opener on
Oct. 7 against their Pennsylvania rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers.
Last season Staal scored 21 goals and added 28 assists and played in all 82 of Pittsburgh's regular season games. In his four seasons as an NHL pro Staal has yet to miss a regular season game due to injury.
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