Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup, Name Jordan Staal Playoff MVP
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games to win the Stanley Cup. Captain Jordan Staal, 37, was named playoff MVP and became the oldest player to receive the Conn Smythe Trophy.
ESPNThe Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games on Sunday night to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2006. Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, becoming the oldest player at age 37 to earn the award.
Staal scored six goals in the Final and recorded 12 points across 18 playoff games. He posted a 65.3 percent faceoff win rate in the series, the second-highest mark ever recorded in the Stanley Cup Final. His defensive assignments included frequent matchups against opposing top centers, and he contributed on the power play and penalty kill.
“He's a beast. Staal scored two tying goals and two go-ahead goals in the Final, including the winner in Game 4. He became the fourth player in NHL history to score in five straight Stanley Cup Final games.”
Staal joined the Hurricanes in a 2012 trade from Pittsburgh, where he had won a Stanley Cup in 2009. The 17-year gap between titles set a new NHL record. He signed a 10-year, $60-million contract upon arrival and later a four-year, $11.68-million extension.
Staal said he stayed through six playoff-less seasons because he believed in the organization's direction. Coach Rod Brind'Amour credited Staal with handling team leadership duties during the Final, including managing distractions before a potential elimination game that Carolina won 3-0.
