Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Fehr memo to players hasn’t dampened Jordan Staal’s optimism

Jordan Staal

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Jordan Staal #11 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck up ice against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on April 20, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)

The mere fact that the union and league have been meeting consistently lately has led to a renewed sense of optimism, but the NHLPA memo from executive director Donald Fehr that PHT recently obtained might have been a rude awakening for some fans.

Although there are some signs of progress, Fehr cautioned that there is still plenty of work to be done. Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal is aware of the memo, but that hasn’t stopped him from staying upbeat about the process.

“Obviously it’s not fun to hear that there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Staal said in a News & Observer report. “I think a lot of the players are very optimistic and very happy they’re talking again and working hard throughout the past three days.

“It’s still part of the process, I guess. It’s my first time through it but it’s still taking time. You can’t expect it to be done in a few days.”

Staal admitted that staying patient is “the hardest part right now,” but Staal does think things are heading in the right direction. He’s hoping for a breakthrough and an NHL season that starts in December.

Anything could happen, but that also means that it’s too early to give up hope just because there’s plenty of work to be done.