StaTuesday: Staal hits 1,000 games after reviving career with Wild

Published Mar. 21, 2017 12:24 p.m. ET

Ryan Lund

Was he a poor fit or a star in decline?

Expectations were mixed when Eric Staal signed with the Minnesota Wild fresh off the worst statistical season of his career.

Staal was traded to the New York Rangers at the deadline last season after 11 productive seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes to disastrous results. He scored just three goals in 20 games before hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

But the Wild took a chance on the 32-year-old, and Sunday they honored one of their newest stars on a major milestone

A member of the celebrated class of 2003 -- the draft that also produced Zach Parise and Ryan Suter -- Staal played in his 1,000th career NHL game Sunday, just of just 21 active NHLers to reach that milestone.

He's one of just five players to hit the 1,000-game mark while playing for the Wild, joining forwards Matt Cooke, Matt Cullen and Andrew Brunette, as well as defenseman Keith Carney.

Staal has maintained his scoring consistency throughout, and has a shot at reaching the 1,500-game plateau if his 6-foot-4 frame stays healthy, as it has through his career.

Staal has scored at least 20 goals in all but three of his 13 NHL seasons and had 18 goals in just 48 games during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

Since Staal's rookie season only Alexander Ovechkin and Jeff Carter have more 20-goal seasons.

Player	Team	Count
Alex Ovechkin	Capitals	12
Jeff Carter	Kings	11
Marian Hossa	Blackhawks	11
Jarome Iginla	Kings	11
Rick Nash	Rangers	11
Sidney Crosby	Penguins	10
Patrick Kane	Blackhawks	10
Patrick Marleau	Sharks	10
Martin St. Louis	Rangers	10
Eric Staal	Wild	10
Jonathan Toews	Blackhawks	10
Thomas Vanek	Panthers	10

And while his reputation was in jeopardy following that disastrous run with the Rangers last season, Staal has revived his career in Minnesota.

He's set to reach 60 points for the first time since the 2013-14 season, and has an outside shot at 70 if the Wild can regain some momentum heading into the playoffs.

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	PPG	S%	FO%
2003-04	Hurricanes	81	11	20	31	2	6.7	43.05
2005-06	Hurricanes	82	45	55	100	19	16.1	42.55
2006-07	Hurricanes	82	30	40	70	12	10.4	45.15
2007-08	Hurricanes	82	38	44	82	14	12.3	44.91
2008-09	Hurricanes	82	40	35	75	14	10.8	45.27
2009-10	Hurricanes	70	29	41	70	13	10.5	41.82
2010-11	Hurricanes	81	33	43	76	12	11.1	47.97
2011-12	Hurricanes	82	24	46	70	7	9.2	52.47
2012-13	Hurricanes	48	18	35	53	3	11.8	51.97
2013-14	Hurricanes	79	21	40	61	1	9.1	52.73
2014-15	Hurricanes	77	23	31	54	7	9.4	51.27
2015-16	Hurricanes	63	10	23	33	1	6.3	53.74
2015-16	Rangers	20	3	3	6	0	7.5	51.04
2016-17	Wild	71	24	30	54	3	13.3	49.16
CAREER		1,000	349	486	835	108	10.7	47.7

The Wild have a homegrown iron man in their locker room as well. Captain Mikko Koivu is currently the franchise's career leader at 833 games played, and is set to hit 1,000 games during the 2018-19 season.

He's one of just four players to spend more than 500 games in a Wild sweater, joining defenseman Nick Schultz, forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard and high-scoring winger Marian Gaborik.