It's a story almost 20 years in the making. Jordan Staal lifted his first Stanley Cup at the age of 20 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Now, at 37, the veteran center has reached the promiseland once again with the Carolina Hurricanes. But this time, he will leave with two more memorable achievements.

The Carolina captain broke the NHL record for the longest time between two Stanley Cup titles, extending it to 17 years. He surpassed the feat previously held by former Detroit Red Wings' blueliner Chris Chelios at 16.

Notably, that win came against the Hurricanes in 2002.

That wasn't enough, as Staal also became the oldest player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. He was recognized as the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs.

Voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA), he received the accolade immediately after the Stanley Cup Final

The win wasn't without merit, as Staal scored seven points, including six goals, in the first five games of the series.

The 37-year-old led from the front in the best-of-seven series, which the Hurricanes won 4-2 after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6.

With that, he also became the fourth captain to score six or more goals in Cup final history, rubbing shoulders with Wayne Gretzky, Newsy Lalonde, and Frank Foyston.

During a hard-fought postseason, Staal contributed 12 points (8G/4A) in 19 games. But it was his leadership that pushed the Hurricanes to only their second title.

Besides making league history, Staal's achievement also mirrored a Stanley Cup triumph close to home.

Staal Joins Brother in Stanley Cup Win With Carolina

20 years since watching his brother, Eric, lift the cup with Carolina, Jordan Staal now has his name engraved on the trophy as a Cane.

It was nearly two years ago when Eric Staal retired from the NHL after signing a ceremonial one-day contract with the Hurricanes. 

But in 2006, leading from the same position as his brother, he registered 28 points in 25 playoff games as Carolina clinched its first Stanley Cup.

Coincidentally, current head coach Rod Brind'Amour served as Eric's captain. Two decades later, he was overseeing his brother from the sidelines.

As for Brind’Amour, he became the seventh person in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as a coach and a player. He also stands as only the fourth cup-winning captain to win it all as a coach.

The Hurricanes have built a winning culture based on familiarity and excellence. Suffice to say, the younger Staal agrees with his decision to leave Pittsburgh for Carolina.

“I'm happy I stuck around,” Staal said about his move, per the NHL. “I believed in the culture. I believed in what we were trying to build in Carolina. An amazing feeling to be able to build something like that and then to top it all off with this, I mean, it's an absolute dream come true.”

The league stalwart is currently on a four-year contract extension worth $11.675 million, which will remain in effect until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Whether he adds to his franchise and family legacy remains to be seen.

Will Jordan Staal stick around with the Carolina Hurricanes beyond the summer of 2027? Tell us your opinion in the comments.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Sijo Paul