JustSON the Numbers: The Brothers Staal

Tonight at 7:30 pm eastern time on Versus is Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. These two teams finished the NHL's regular season just 2 points apart (for those uncommon with hockey you get 2 points for a win, 1 point for an overtime loss and no points for a regulation loss). That is not what's intriguing about this match up though, this series will feature two of the three Staal brothers from Thunder Bay, Ontario that currently play in the NHL.

The Hurricanes have Center Eric Staal who is the oldest of the four Staal brothers, he will be on the opposing bench of younger brother Jordan Staal who is a Center for the Penguins. The other two brothers are Marc Staal, who is a defense man for the New York Rangers and was knocked out of this years playoffs in the first round by the Washington Capitals and Jared Staal who was drafted last year by the Phoenix Coyotes and is currently with their minor league club.

In comparing both Eric and Jordan they appear to be very durable, for instance Eric played in 81 of a possible 82 games his first year with Carolina and spent the next season with the Lowell Lock Monsters. The following year he was back with Carolina and played in every game and has done so ever since. Jordan entered the league in 2006 with Pittsburgh and missed only one game. The past two seasons he has played in every game.

Eric holds the statistical edge in almost all categories but not just because he has played in 164 more games than Jordan. In 5 seasons Eric is averaging 32.8 goals and 38.8 assists a season while Jordan is only averaging 21 goals and 18.7 assists per season. Eric's best season was in 2005-06 when he helped lead the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup and had his best statistical season with 100 points (45 goals, 55 assists). Jordan helped the Penguins reach last years Stanley Cup Final where they were beaten by the Detroit Red Wings.

In the statistics category Eric holds the edge over younger brother Jordan, but I think the Penguins will come out on top in this series.

If anyone has any requests for this column let us know. I don't discriminate, no matter the sport or the stat.