Penguins/NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal received a surprise invite to Team Canada’s Orientation camp which began on Monday but to those close to Steve Yzerman, the Detroit Red Wings vice-president and Team Canada GM, the invitation didn’t come as a surprise.
Jordan Staal enters Team Canada’s Orientation camp with the odds stacked against him on earning a roster spot this winter but the opportunity to even participate in the camp will be beneficial to Staal’s development.
One of the knocks on Jordan Staal has been the fact that he has shown the inability to step up into a top line forward spot when needed.
In the Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings, Staal answered some of those questions and was among the Penguins most dominating players in the final two games of the series.
He was a force at both ends of the ice and filled in admirably for Sidney Crosby in game 7.
Staal’s performance down the stretch of the series caught the eye of Yzerman who see’s Staal as a player that you win championships with.
Whether Staal will even receive serious consideration to make Team Canada remains to be seen but this oppportunity could go a long way towards his development.
Entering his 4th NHL season and second NHL contract, expectations are going to be higher.
More Team Canada Buzz
*Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc Andre Fleury is battling Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils,
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks, Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes for a roster spot.
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks, Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes for a roster spot.
Fleury has been training in Montreal for three in a half weeks with a number of NHL players including teammate Ruslan Fedotenko and Martin Havlat.
