Jordan Staal placed on IR with concussion; Phil Di Giuseppe recalled from Charlotte

Carolina Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis told Chip Alexander of the News and Observer today that center Jordan Staal suffered a concussion in the first period of Sunday’s 3-2 Canes win over the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena.

Staal, who has been used in all situations this season and has split time as the top center with Victor Rask, is tied for third on the team with five goals, two of which have come on the power play, and has nine points, which ranks sixth on the Canes.

His 60% faceoff win rate leads the Hurricanes, and is fourth in the NHL behind Antoine Vermette, Jonathan Toews and Jay Beagle among players who have taken at least 100 faceoffs. Staal has taken 366 faceoffs, the most on the Hurricanes by 100 over second-place Rask.

Staal also leads the team in Corsi-for percentage, a shade under 60%, and in hits with 44. His injury will bump Elias Lindholm, who has been playing on the wing for the past few weeks, into the second-line center role, and makes Rask the unquestioned number-one center on the Canes roster.

Later on Monday, the Hurricanes placed Staal on injured reserve and called up Phil Di Giuseppe from the Charlotte Checkers. Di Giuseppe was assigned to Charlotte on November 11 and has seven points (two goals, five assists) in eight games with the Checkers.

Staal will now miss at least the next four games and will be eligible to come off injured reserve no earlier than next Monday.

The release from the team is below.

‘CANES RECALL PHIL DI GIUSEPPE FROM CHARLOTTE
Jordan Staal placed on injured reserve with a concussion

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forward Phil Di Giuseppe from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Francis also announced that center Jordan Staal has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a concussion during the team’s 3-2 win against Florida on Sunday.

Di Giuseppe, 23, is in his second NHL season and played in 11 of Carolina’s 13 games before being assigned to Charlotte on Nov. 11. The Maple, Ont., native scored two goals and earned five assists (7 points) in eight games with the Checkers from Nov. 12-27, and led the team in assists and points in that span. Di Giuseppe (6’0”, 200 lbs.) made his NHL debut on Dec. 15, 2015, and has notched seven goals and earned 10 assists in 52 career NHL regular-season games with the Hurricanes. Carolina drafted Di Giuseppe in the second round, 38th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft.