Panthers ink Eric Staal to 1-year deal

The Florida Panthers signed forward Eric Staal to a one-year contract Friday.

Staal played for the Panthers during the preseason on a professional tryout. He did not record a point in four contests.

The 37-year-old last played in the NHL in 2020-21, a season he split between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. Staal made a brief four-game appearance in the AHL in 2021-22, scoring five points with the Iowa Wild. He later captained Team Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, tallying four points in five contests.

Staal will play with his younger brother Marc Staal in Florida. The two played together during the 2015-16 campaign with the New York Rangers.

The elder Staal is expected to make his season debut Sunday against the New York Islanders, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

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