There has been trade speculation about Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal recently – and even though he has a no-move control, it’s impossible to resist considering the possibilities. The organization appears headed towards a full-fledged rebuild, and Eric Staal – whose $8.2-million AAV contract expires at the end of the 2015-2016 season – is an asset that could be shopped to potential suitors. If Staal’s ever made available, expect numerous playoff-hopeful teams to show interest. A lot of this is because Staal has been durable for most of his career and has been a regular point-producer for as long as he’s come into his first-line, twenty-minute-a-night role. He’s averaged about 2.1 points per 60 minutes over the last seven years at five-on-five, which is in the upper echelon of forward talent. Like most players inching toward their 30’s – he actually turns 30 Oct. 29 - Staal’s underlying numbers have been in decline. It’s the type of trend less concerning if you’re buying Staal as a true rental at some point this season, but far more concerning if you are considering negotiating a new contract. Let’s focus on basic numbers at 5-on-5 for Staal since the 2007-2008 season to capture where things have slowed. In the table below, you’ll find his per 60 scoring rates and shot-attempt rates. So, for example, in the 2007-2008 year, Eric Staal scored 2.1 points and attempted 17.2 shots for every 60-minutes played at even-strength. Staal Shooting Year Per 60 Scoring (EV) Per 60 Shot Attempts (EV) 2007-08 2.1 17.2 2008-09 2.1 22.4 2009-10 2.1 18.9 2010-11 1.6 16.9 2011-12 1.9 14.8 2012-13 3.3 13.9 2013-14 2.0 14.3 The year-to-year, downward trending shot-attempt rate is alarming. Further, consider this: from 2007-2010, only six forwards in the league generated more shot-attempts per 60 than Eric Staal. From 2010-2014, 75 forwards have been better in the shot generation department. Only Alex Ovechkin, who still ranks first in the league over that span, has experienced a bigger decline in the individual shot-share. The point-scoring hasn’t caved yet, but it’s interesting to note that his high-scoring 2012-2013 was created almost entirely by unsustainable on-ice shooting percentage. That year, Eric Staal and his linemates – primarily Jiri Tlusty and Alexander Semin - shot a ridiculous 12.8% at 5-on-5, masking his individual shot generation numbers. One wonders where the point-scoring will go in a year where the percentages slide unfavorably, particularly since the shot generation has started to slide. Let’s look at a couple of additional data points for Eric Staal. In the table below, I have compiled Eric Staal’s RelativeCorsi% and Relative Offensive ZoneStart% over the same time span. RelativeCorsi% is simply a comparison of a team’s Corsi% with the player on the ice, versus a team’s Corsi% with the player off of the ice. The higher the RelativeCorsi%, the more favorable the numbers are when the player is on the ice. As for Relative Offensive ZoneStart%, it gives us a quick glance to how the player was deployed. Players with high numbers here start a lot of shifts in the offensive zone relative to the team average, deployed in a more offense-oriented role; players with low (negative) numbers here start a lot of shifts in the defensive zone relative to the team average, deployed in a more defense-oriented role. Staal Relative Stats Year Relative Corsi% Relative Offensive Zone Start % 2007-08 +4.6% +2.5% 2008-09 +15.2% -1.0% 2009-10 +6.7% +4.1% 2010-11 +11.3% +1.4% 2011-12 +6.6% +2.1% 2012-13 -4.2% +5.3% 2013-14 +6.8% +16.8% The RelativeCorsi% has held up for the most part, but the last two years make you wonder. The acquisition of Jordan Staal in Carolina has really given the coaching staff the luxury of deploying Eric Staal in big, offense-heavy minutes, but raw point-scoring aside, Staal’s 2012-2013 season wasn’t impressive – the Carolina Hurricanes were actually 4.2% better in Corsi% with Eric Staal off of the ice. These poor possession numbers in 2012-2013 were followed by extremely high offensive zone start numbers (+16.8%) in 2013-2014, which does raise the question of whether or not the coaching staff identified a problem and felt the need to insulate Eric Staal’s line. Is there something to the radical change in deployment, or are the last two years simply noise? If I’m a front office considering trading for and extending a player like Staal, it’s precisely the kind of question I need to find an answer to prior to making a move. There’s one other metric I like to glance at when it comes to pinning down whether players are losing a step via aging, and that’s penalty differentials. It makes intuitive sense that players who aren’t as fleet of foot will see a spike in penalties taken, and a drop in penalties drawn. Staal Penalty Differential Year Per 60 Drawn Penalties Per 60 Taken Penalties Per 60 Differential 2007-08 2.1 0.7 +1.4 2008-09 1.6 0.7 +0.9 2009-10 0.9 1.1 -0.2 2010-11 1.1 1.1 0.0 2011-12 1.1 0.9 +0.2 2012-13 0.9 1.5 -0.6 2013-14 0.7 1.2 -0.5 The early years of Staal’s career saw him drawing penalties like a maniac and basically never being shuffled to the penalty box. Put six years of mileage or so on Eric Staal’s body, and the story has flipped. He doesn’t draw virtually anything these days, and he’s committing penalties at nearly double the frequency. I think there’s merit to conducting this sort of multi-level data evaluation to any player, but it’s infinitely important when you’re talking about trading likely multiple assets for a player nearing the end of his long-term contract. In the case of Staal, you’d like to think that the trading team would like to extend him, too. In Staal’s case, I don’t think there’s any question he’s still an impact player. On the other hand, knowing what we know about the aging curve and the deterioration of players in their 30’s, there’s reason to be concerned about Staal before you even get into the declining shot rates and increased insulation and growing predilection for taking penalties. Thus, teams looking to go for it may be right to pursue Staal as a hired gun at the trade deadline. Teams looking to improve long-term? There may be better options. Cheap Air Jordan 3 Nz .Y. -- The Detroit Red Wings had just enough time to salvage a point. Air Jordan 3 Nz . -- The NFL cancelled its Hall of Fame game between St. http://www.airjordan3nz.com/ . UEFA said Wednesday that the champions of England and France only have to include five home-trained players in their 21-man squads next season instead of the expected eight. Only one of the five players needs to be trained by the club itself. Cheap Authentic Jordan 3 . TSN 1290s Jordan Cieciwa, Big Marv and Toby are here to give their predictions on who will leave with the belt and who will take some of the other key bouts on the card. Johny Hendricks vs. Air Jordan 3 Nz Sale . But when it was all over they had wasted another lead, seen another pitcher flame out on the mound and lost their fourth straight at home.RED DEER, Alta. - Henrik Samuelsson and Curtis Lazar each had two goals and two assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings secured top spot in the Eastern Conference by defeating the host Red Deer Rebels 7-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Cody Corbett scored once and set up three more for the Oil Kings (50-18-3) while Edgars Kulda and Mitchell Moroz added single goals. Haydn Fleury, Rhyse Dieno, Vukie Mpofu and Aspen Sterzer scored for the Rebels (34-32-5), who sit ninth in the East two points behind Prince Albert for the final playoff position. Edmontons Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for his league-leading 44th win of the season. Red Deers Patrik Bartosak stopped 35-of-42 shots in a losing cause. The Oil Kings went 5 for 8 on the power play while the Rebels failed to score on five chances with the man advantage. --- WHEAT KINGS 6 PATS 3 BRANDON -- Peter Quenneville scored three times and Jordan Papirny made 35 saves as the Wheat Kings doubled up Regina to clinch the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Ryan Pulock, Nolan Patrick and Jens Meilleur also scored for Brandon (34-29-9) while Tim McGauley tacked on three assists. Dmitry Sinitsyn, Boston Leier and Connor Gay supplied the scoring for the Pats (39-26-7). Reginas Dawson MacAuley and Tyler Fuhr combined to stop 26-of-31 shots in a losing cause. --- HITMEN 6 ICE 3 CALGARY -- Greg Chase had two goals and two assists as the Hitmen downed Kootenay for its fourth win in a row. Mike Winther and Pavel Padakin each had a goal and two assists for Calgary (48-17-7) and Jake Virtanen and Ben Thomas added single goals. Luke Philp, Jaedon Descheneau and Austin Vettrl scored for the Ice (39-28-5), who are on a four-game slide. Chris Driedger made 26 saves for the Hitmen. Kootenays Mackenzie Skapski stopped 8-of-12 shots before giving way to Wyatt Hoflin, who made 10 saves in 32 minutes of relief. --- BRONCOS 3 WARRIORS 1 MOOSE JAW, Sask. -- Eetu Laurikainen stopped 29 shots and Coda Gordons goal at 10:18 of the first period stood up as the winner as Swift Current slipped past the Warriors. Nathan Burns and Jay Merkley also scored for the Broncos (38-25-9) while Gordon tacked on an assist for a two-point outing. Jack Rodeald scored the lone goal for Moose Jaw (21-42-9), which finishes the regular season 18 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Justin Paulic stopped 31-of-34 shots for the Warriors. --- RAIDERS 6 BLADES 4 SASKATOON -- Jayden Hart had a pair of goals as Prince Albert defeated the Blades to keep its playoff hopes alive. Collin Valcourt scored once and set up two more for the Raiders (35-32-5), who sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, while Dakota Conroy, Carson Perreaux and Leon Draisaitl added a goal apiece. Chase Clayton scored twice for Saskatoon (16-51-5), which finishes its season on a 12-game slide. Nick McBride made 39 saves for Prince Albert as Troy Trombley kicked out 25-of-30 shots for the Blades. --- TIGGERS 6 HURRICANES 3 MEDICINE HAT, Alta.dddddddddddd -- Curtis Valk had two goals and two assists and Cole Sanford scored once and set up three more as the Tigers topples Lethbridge. Trevor Cox also scored twice for Medicine Hat (43-24-4) while Alex Mowbray added a single goal. Reid Duke, Bryton Sayers and Tyler Bell scored for the Hurricanes (12-54-5), who are on a 13-game skid with one game remaining on schedule. Marek Langhamer made 32 saves for the Tigers as Lethbridges Stuart Skinner turned away 35-of-41 shots in defeat. --- WINTERHAWKS 7 THUNDERBIRDS 0 PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oliver Bjorkstrand scored three times and Brenden Burke made 28 saves as the Winterhawks blanked Seattle. Mathew Dumba scored once and assisted on three more for Portland (53-13-5), which extended its win streak to six games, while Paul Bittner, Adam Rossignol and Taylor Leier added the others. Defencemen Jared Hauf and Evan Wardley were both a team-worst minus-3 for the Thunderbirds (40-25-6). Seattles Danny Mumaugh turned aside 37-of-44 shots in defeat. --- COUGARS 8 BLAZERS 3 PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. -- Todd Fiddler scored four times and Troy Bourke had a goal and three assists as the Cougars downed Kamloops. Sam Ruopp scored once and set up two more for Prince George (27-37-8), which halted a six-game slide, and Brad Morrison and Klarc Wilson added single goals. Deven Sideroff, Matt Needham and Jesse Shynkaruk scored for the Blazers (14-53-5). Ty Edmonds made 28 saves for the Cougars while Bolton Pouliot stopped 43-of-51 shots for Kamloops. --- SILVERTIPS 3 ROYALS 2 EVERETT, Wash. -- Austin Lotz made 22 saves and Carson Stadnyk broke a 2-2 deadlock at 18:32 of the third period as the Silvertips edged Victoria. Mirco Mueller and Ben Betker also scored for Everett (39-23-9), which is 11-0-1 in its last 12 contests. The Royals (48-20-4) got goals from Tyler Soy and Logan Nelson. Coleman Vollrath turned away 22-of-25 shots for the Royals, who have dropped three games in a row. --- ROCKETS 5 GIANTS 3 KELOWNA, B.C. -- Carter Rigby had a pair of goals and Nick Merkley had a goal and two assists as the Rockets downed Vancouver. Rourke Chartier and Madison Bowey also scored for Kelowna (57-11-4) and Ryan Olsen tacked on two assists. Jackson Houck scored twice for the Giants (32-29-11) and set up Joel Hamilton as well. Jordon Cooke made 29 saves for the Rockets. Vancouvers Payton Lee stopped 35-of-40 shots in defeat. --- AMERICANS 3 CHIEFS 0 KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Eric Comrie only had to make 18 saves as Tri-City snapped a five-game losing streak by blanking Spokane. Beau McCue, Parker Bowles and Jessey Astles registered a goal apiece for the Americans (29-32-10). Eric Williams allowed three goals on 14 shots for the Chiefs (40-26-6) before getting pulled for Garret Hughson at the 9:27 mark of the second period. Hughson stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief. Comries shutout was his fourth of the season and ninth of his WHL career. ' ' '