Former NHLer signs PTO with AHL club in an attempt to make Canada's Olympic team
It appears as though 37-year-old Eric Staal is interested in representing Team Canada at the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing next month. Staal, who played for the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens last season, was not able to secure an NHL contract this summer and remains a free agent.
In his bid to join the Canadian Olympic Men's hockey team, Staal has signed a professional tryout contract with the AHL's Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild's AHL affiliate.
Staal, who spent four seasons in Minnesota, scored just 13 points in 53 games last season, split between the Sabres and Canadiens, though he was relegated to mostly a 4th line role during his 21 games in Montreal. He also added 8 points in 21 playoff games during the Habs' run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Thunder Bay, Ontario native represented Canada at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC, winning a gold medal and producing 6 points in 7 games, including a 3-assist performance against Germany in the opening round.
If Staal can perform well in Iowa and prove to Hockey Canada that he still has some quality hockey left in him, his experience and leadership qualities would be a huge asset to the organization in Beijing.
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