Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal will miss approximately one-to-two months with a torn calf muscle, head coach Rod Brind'Amour announced Tuesday, per team reporter Walt Ruff.
Brind'Amour said the injury was "a freak thing" that happened during pregame warmup Sunday.
Staal is the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP. He potted eight goals in 19 postseason contests during Carolina's 2026 Cup run, including six in as many games in the final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 38-year-old failed to register a point in six appearances this season, yet the Hurricanes are off to a 5-1-1 start.
Staal tallied 20 goals and 16 assists in 75 games during the 2025-26 regular season. He finished fifth in Selke Trophy voting as the NHL's top defensive forward.
Centers Mark Jankowski and Jesperi Kotkaniemi figure to see more minutes in Staal's absence. Jankowski has four goals in seven games, while Kotkaniemi has managed a pair of assists in five appearances.
