The Buffalo Sabres announced a few days ago that they have fired Eric Staal. He will serve as the special assistant to the General Manager Kevyn Adams.
The former Wild forward recorded 111 goals, 129 assists, and 240 points in 311 games with Minnesota. In his first season with the Wild, Staal led the team in goals with 28 and was second in points behind Mikael Granlund.
In his second season, Staal became the first Wild player to score 40 or more in a single season since Marian Gaborik did in 2007-08. He was the second player in Wild history to have 40 or more goals at the time. Kirill Kaprizov has had three 40-goal seasons since Staal. The three are the only Wild players to record 40-goal seasons in franchise history.
He joined Gordie Howe as the only players in NHL history to have 40-goal seasons at least nine seasons apart with none in between.
His 76 point season in 2017-18 ranked as third-best in franchise history at the time. He has now been passed by Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Fiala, and Kaprizov (twice).
Staal, 40, has been living in Minnesota since he retired from the NHL after the 2022-23 season. He recorded 455 goals, 608 assists, and 1,063 points in 1,365 games in 18 NHL seasons.
The Wild traded him to the Sabres in 2021 for Marcus Johansson. He played half the year with the Sabres after being traded to the Montreal Canadiens. The following year, Staal recorded one goal and three assists as Canada’s captain in the 2022 Olympics. He finished the year with the Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate in attempt to keep his career going.
Staal then signed a PTO with the Florida Panthers before eventually signing a one-year contract. He recorded 14 goals, 15 assists, and 29 points in 72 games for the Panthers in his last NHL season.
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