Florida Panthers center Eric Staal has entered concussion protocol and was placed on Injured Reserve Friday. He is now set to miss at least a week of action, which will include three games for the Panthers, starting with Saturday's matchup against Minnesota. Staal logged just 4:15 of ice time in Thursday's 6-2 victory over Montreal after taking a big hit from Mike Matheson in the first period. The veteran doesn't really offer anything to fantasy managers these days, but he has done a solid job as a fourth-line center for the Panthers, notching seven goals and seven assists in 40 games. Chris Tierney will fill his spot on Saturday.
Florida Panthers center Eric Staal will make his debut for the team Thursday night against Philadelphia. The former All-Star inked a one-year, $750,000 deal with the club last week after previously being on a tryout contract. The 37-year-old will bring veteran presence and a winning mentality to the locker room. He will debut as a fourth-line center, so Staal won't be offering anything to fantasy managers, but it will be great to see him in action again. Thursday will mark his 1,294th regular-season outing and he will hope to add to 1,034 points.
Montreal Canadiens center Eric Staal had a dream debut for the team on Monday, scoring the game-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime victory against Edmonton. He completed a big comeback effort after Josh Anderson and Tomas Tatar had erased a two-goal deficit in the third period. Staal, who became the first player in Canadiens history to score in overtime in his debut, skated on the second line with Jonathan Drouin and the team's leading goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli. He looks set for a very nice run with the team to finish off the season. Five percent of Yahoo! managers have already added him to the lineup over the last day, and you should consider doing the same.
Eric Staal Ready For Montreal Debut After Serving Quarantine
Montreal Canadiens center Eric Staal is finally ready for his team debut next week after serving a mandatory seven-day quarantine following his move from Buffalo. Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme has said that Staal will make his team debut on Monday against Edmonton. The veteran center has a good chance to start building some momentum straight away as the Canadiens take the ice four times next week. A meeting with Toronto follows the Oilers game and there are a pair of matchups versus Winnipeg. Staal struggled to make an impact in Buffalo, posting 10 points in 32 games, but the Sabres have been historically bad this season, and his time in Montreal should be a lot rosier. Staal turned 36 last October, and he clearly isn't the player he used to be, but he managed to average a solid 0.71 points per game for Minnesota in 2019-20. Playing on a team that owns a top-10 offense, offers Staal a good chance to repeat his last year's numbers.
The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Eric Staal from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for third- and fifth-round draft picks in the 2021 NHL draft on Friday. The 36-year-old, who was traded from Minnesota to Buffalo over the offseason, has struggled with the Sabres this year, posting just 10 points (three goals, seven assists), a minus-20 rating and 59 shots in 32 games. Staal will need to quarantine for seven days prior to joining the Canadiens, but he should then jump into the team's top-nine forward group when ready. Just 9% owned in Yahoo leagues, the 17-year NHL veteran is worth monitoring as a potential add in deep fantasy formats.
Buffalo Sabres center Eric Staal (jaw) will be a game-time decision for Friday's matchup against the Washington Capitals. Staal took an elbow to the face in Thursday's game, forcing him to leave the contest. The veteran pivot is the Sabres second-line center and also featured on the second power-play unit. If Staal cannot go, expect Casey Mittelstadt or Rasmus Asplund to draw into the lineup, but neither player will be a worthwhile fantasy option.
