Ghost Pirates head coach Jared Staal cheering on brother Jordan in Stanley Cup Final
The Staal family is back in the Stanley Cup spotlight — and Savannah’s hockey coach is right in the middle of it
SAVANNAH, Ga. —
For Savannah Ghost Pirates head coach Jared Staal, the Stanley Cup Final is more than hockey’s biggest stage — it’s family history playing out in real time.
Staal has been in Raleigh watching his older brother, Jordan Staal, captain the Carolina Hurricanes during another run at the Stanley Cup.
“The older you get, the more appreciation you have for moments like these,” Jared Staal told WJCL 22. “All three of my brothers have played in the Cup Final. It’s really special for our whole family. We’re so proud of Jordan.”
The Staal family’s NHL footprint spans decades. Brothers Eric, Jordan, Jared and Marc Staal all reached the league, with multiple members appearing in Stanley Cup Final runs across their careers.
Eric Staal captured the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, helping lead the franchise to its first championship. Jordan Staal won the Cup earlier in his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
The family also shared a rare NHL moment in 2013, when Eric, Jordan and Jared all skated at different points that season with the Carolina Hurricanes — a reflection of how deeply hockey runs through the Staal family.
Jared Staal, the youngest of the four brothers, was drafted 49th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes and played in the NHL from 2009 to 2017.
After his playing career, Staal transitioned behind the bench, beginning coaching in 2018 as an assistant with OHA Edmonton. He later joined the Orlando Solar Bears organization in the ECHL, moved on to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers — where he previously played during his career — and eventually was named head coach of the Savannah Ghost Pirates in 2024.
Still, he said none of that changes the way he views nights like Game 1.
“The greatest thing is nothing’s really changed,” he said. “The circumstances have, but they’re still my brothers. We’re still close as a family.”
Jared Staal attended Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, where he described the atmosphere as “deafening” as the Hurricanes opened the series.
His older brother, Eric, helped kick off the night by sounding the siren before puck drop, as family members gathered for another postseason moment together.
“It was a lot of fun,” Jared Staal said. “Obviously not the result we wanted, but it was really fun as a family.”
And while Jordan Staal looks to make more history on the ice … Jared Staal is building his own.
He guided the Savannah Ghost Pirates to their best season in franchise history — including their first-ever Kelly Cup Playoff appearance — as he continues his coaching career after nearly a decade as a professional player.
A former NHL forward, Staal said watching the Stanley Cup Final now comes with a different perspective from behind the bench.
“It’s harder now that I’ve become a coach,” he said. “You’re watching systems, forechecks — you have to tell yourself to turn it off for a second.”
While Jordan continues his chase for another Stanley Cup in Carolina, Jared remains focused on growing hockey in Savannah, bringing a full-circle hockey career back to the Coastal Empire.