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Eric Staal (lower body) out a little under a week

estaalgetty

James OBrien

The Carolina Hurricanes - and maybe Team Canada’s decision makers - held their breath on Saturday, as Eric Staal left an eventual win against the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury. They can exhale on Sunday, as head coach Kirk Muller said that Staal will only be out five-to-six days, the Raleigh News & Observer’s Chip Alexander reports.

One would assume that Muller gave that estimate regarding the team’s 29-year-old captain because the Hurricanes have games on Thursday (Jan. 9) and Friday (Jan. 10).

Again, it might not be the Hurricanes alone who are interested in this update. If Staal is on the bubble for Team Canada, a more significant issue could conceivably push him out of the picture. Instead, it sounds like it will come down to whether or not GM Steve Yzerman & Co. believe that he should make the cut.

Staal’s Hurricanes are facing the Nashville Predators on Sunday.

Update: Carolina seemingly dodged a bullet in that Predators game, as Jeff Skinner returned to action despite taking a puck to the face.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins