Jordan Staal has been extremely annoying against the Vegas Golden Knights during the Stanley Cup Final. The Carolina Hurricanes veteran has scored five goals and one assist during the series, including two in Game 4's win over the Golden Knights.
Of course, that hasn't gone unnoticed by Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella. He told the media after Game 4 about how the 37-year-old has been, well, problematic throughout the series. In fact, all it took was one sentence to describe his presence in front of the net.
"He’s killing us in front of the net, Staal."John Tortorella on Jordan Staal
You know what to do, Vegas. Figure out a way to stop the Hurricanes Captain from doing any further damage to your team. That can come in many forms, ranging from a goaltender shake-up to moving a few guys around the lineup.
Regardless, John Tortorella has a 37-year-old issue on his hands. How in the world can he stop the Hurricanes center from scoring on the Golden Knights and willing his team inches from victory or to a victory? Believe it or not, those avenues are worth exploring.
How the Vegas Golden Knights can stop Jordan Staal from carrying the Carolina Hurricanes on his back
One radical idea being proposed within the Golden Knights fanbase is benching Carter Hart—or keeping him on an extremely short leash. The netminder has allowed four goals in each Stanley Cup Final game, marking a significant downturn from his prior postseason performances. Suddenly, the goaltending looks weaker, thanks to Staal and that opportunistic Hurricanes forecheck.
But is it worth going to Adin Hill for the Stanley Cup Final remainder? Remember that the former Stanley Cup hero hasn't been stellar this season, posting a GAA of 3.04 and a save percentage of .871. Would it be worth pulling the trigger for something different?
That's why the alternative sounds much better: line shuffling. The Golden Knights have plenty of solid options for neutralizing Staal. That includes William Karlsson and Nic Dowd, both players who play a similar shutdown style. Why not put them on the Hurricanes Captain and make life miserable for him?
Yes, that might mean sacrificing some good vibes in certain lines. But that hasn't mattered too much with the likes of Karlsson, who's done well with Marner. Perhaps getting a different winger to work with Karlsson could help?
Whatever the case, the Golden Knights have a massive Jordan Staal problem that they must solve. The Hurricanes center is disrupting Vegas's flow by becoming a problem in the offensive zone. If the Golden Knights don't figure out how to stop him, they're not winning their second Stanley Cup.
