OverDrive - Staal on representing the Hurricanes, winning the Stanley Cup and the matchup for Carolina

Episode Date: June 2, 2026

Former NHL Player, Stanley Cup Champion and Sabres’ Special Assistant to the GM Eric Staal joined OverDrive to discuss the on-ice relationship with his brothers, the Sabres' season and the run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the competitive aspect in the games, the Hurricanes' matchup in the Stanley Cup Final, Jordan Staal's role with the Hurricanes and more.

Catch everything soccer with Bell's game time bundle. Get 5 TV with TSN plus 5150 internet, all for $99 a month. Price guaranteed for two years with a two-year internet and TV term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. One of the great Carolina hurricanes of all time because of his mentors when he arrived, Eric Stahl. Is that a true statement, Eric?

Make sure you got a thousand bucks cash on you at all times. That's great for M-Dog. And I could still guess his bank pin. I could tell you it right now. If you want it on air, I can let everybody know his pin. What is it? What is it? Well, I won't say it.

I won't say it. So what does that mean? He'd give you his card and say, go get me cash? Is that what happened? No, I vividly remember going through the bank, like, through the ATM with O in the back. And then I put his card in. I think I was 18. And I was like, what's the code?

He's like, guess it. So I put it in the code and I guessed it correctly. And then I think that was around the time when he said, you've got to make sure you have $1,000 cash on your Lepal in the NHL. I like it. If you're a natural leaguer. I like it seemed like it served you pretty well, didn't it? That kind of advice?

Yeah, I believe it. Yeah, you never know where you're going to be and, you know, who you got to make sure you're treating well. So it was good advice. Okay. Well, O also just told us at 4 that prior to his cup final in 2002, about 48 hours before puck drop, he played 80 holes of golf to prepare for the cup final. What was your preparation like in 06?

A little different than that. We, oh, I don't know. Oh, we came right off of game 7. So it was a game 7 win at home against Buffalo. I think we started right after that. So no golf for me. I was keeping it pretty dialed at that time. As you should, absolutely, with Eric Stahl.

So we're just discussing, you know, the uniqueness of what could happen in Vancouver. Manny Mulhulchre just got hired as the head coach with the Kodaks and his son Caleb is expected to be a high pick. They've got that third pick. The dynamic of, you know, a father's son kind of working together. You've dealt with it in terms of playing with your brothers before. What is that relationship?

like in the room? You know, like your brother, Jordan's the captain, he's obviously starting another cup pursuit tonight. But what's it like having brothers on the team and in the room and how it kind of affects the dynamic of your relationship with your teammates? Yeah, I mean, I think brothers are probably, I would say, a little different than a father's son combination. But, you know, for us, we tried to, you know, keep it, you know,

you're kind of teammates. You're in the locker room. You're brothers, but your teammates, just like you are with the rest of the guys. And you, you know, you're treating everyone's the same. And we kind of kept it that way over our times of playing together. Obviously, off ice and away from the rink, you spend more time together just because of, you know,

family reasons and all that. That goes with it. But in the locker room, we were always, you know, similar with every other guy as we were with each other in the games. Maybe, you know, when I was with, Mark and he's on the fence and I was forward. We maybe yelled back and forth at each other a little bit more than with Jordan and I, just because the D are always the ones that screw things up.

And then other than that, we were pretty much, you know, similar, you know, as far as any other teammate goes. You ever have one of those brotherly pissing matches where you want to beat the hell out of each other, either in practice or in the dressing room or something like that, Stully? No, we had a lot. I mean, even when I was the old guy at the end, and Mark was too in Florida, we had, we did a little two-on-two drill,

I remember, and it ended up being him versus me, and we were just, like, going at each other. I think everyone was, I mean, we were, like, going at each other hard, but, like, kind of laughing at the same time, and, like, everybody that was, like, Mo was the coach, and everyone that was there was watching. Look at these two idiot old guys still going. going at it and being idiots in practice and just competing and whacking each other and all that kind of

stuff. So yeah, we've had many of those moments, but that's what makes it fun. That's why you why you're out there. You know, even when you're an old guy, you still get a little, the juices flowing and stick swing at somebody a little bit. And it was a ton of fun. I missed that part. So, Eric, let's talk about the Buffalo Sabres, you know, the team that you're advising for right now. Massive turnaround this season, nice run in the playoffs, something to build on. What did you see the biggest difference this year, you know, once Yarmu took over? Yeah, well, I actually, even before that, I really liked the way they were training. They had some pretty significant injuries, the kind of first couple months of the season.

But I just think, you know, the credits of the coaching staff, they stuck with the message of continuing to push those guys to a way to play that was going to bring this success. And, you know, I think they just, you know, gain confidence in, you know, a few gutty, gritty wins there in December. And then when you start to feel that and believe that with the talent that they have and those guys can bring every day, it's, you know, it was no surprise. You know, they had, you know, a good taste of, you know, what it's going to take. You know, they put a lot of work and time.

And I was proud of, you know, a lot of their leadership guys to, you know, really, you know, kind of get over that hump of, you know, being back in the mix. and now, you know, now it's like they're hungry for more. And I'm excited for, you know, for those guys this summer to push themselves and then be ready to go next year because, you know, they're going to be no longer a team kind of under the radar. They're going to be noticed. They've got enough talent and skill, but it takes more than that.

And I think they just, they started to believe and understand what it takes in certain situations, what kind of game is presented. You've got to be able to play it. And, you know, they had a real solid year. you know, bigger things ahead for that, for those group of guys for sure. We're chatting with Eric Stahl Cup final game one tonight, Carolina Vegas. And I think when we talk about Buffalo throughout the year, we'd reference their speed, the pace they'd play with.

You look at these two teams, they can move. You know, we've noticed just the animosity, at least from our standpoint, it doesn't seem to be there as much during the playoffs this year. I don't know if you've experienced the same thing with you watching, but is that because the game is just so fast now? everyone is so dialed in, like, how would you compare the playoffs of this year, maybe to the playoffs when you got into the league 20 years ago? Yeah, I mean, I do agree with that.

I think there was moments where there was some serious animosity, and I think once you get later and it gets further down the line in the playoffs, it's everything is so important and so magnified that, you know, there's just so much focus. There's, you know, both these two teams that are here at the end are, are just, they're dialed, they're determined. Their leadership group, they're from their coaches down, they have these guys prepared and ready,

and, you know, it's going to take a lot to phase either team. And I think that's what you need to be at the end is a team that will be unfaced regardless. And, you know, I think it'll be a test. These are two really good teams to play similar styles, really fast-paced. You know, I will agree. I think from 20,

years ago it's probably a little less mean with some of it around the net but partly with that's you know with the rule changing and the refereeing it's you know and uh i think uh it's it's just extremely fast really really competitive and fun to watch i mean i think it's been uh it's been a great play out to watch and i think this series is going to be no different stallie when you played with roddy did you think that i mean i nobody knew that he was going to become a coach but I didn't see him as a head coach. I don't know why. I didn't really see it.

Does this surprise you at all that he's regarded as the best coach in the league? I know you know how hard he works and what he's all about. I just didn't kind of associate Roddy with being a head coach. Did it surprise you? Does any of this surprise you? I mean, maybe a little bit just because, you know, the amount of effort and time and work it takes to be a head coach. but then if you say it that way you're like well that's kind of Roddy and anything he does

if he's going to do it he's going to he's going to be all in and do everything you need to do and then you add in his you know his work ethic and his determination and you know he kind of walks the walk and if if you have those tools in the NHL in a locker room you know you're you're already ahead of the game and and you know I think the guys respect him as a as a person and you know know know what kind of player he was when he played. And then so, you know, his message is easy in that regard. And, you know, but, you know, he's been doing it a while now. And it's been really impressive.

It's impressive that he hasn't wavered. It's impressive that he's, you know, continued to, you know, adjust this playoff, you know, different moments, you know, making sure his team prepared different times. So, you know, I wouldn't say I was for sure going to think he was going to be a head coach for for this long. but I don't think I'm overly surprised that now that he's in it and doing it, that he's one of the best because he's just that kind of guy. With Eric Stahl.

So Jordan again, the captain of the hurricanes playing in the cup final. What are the Stahl family rules when one of you are in a cup final? Is there interaction? Is there a group chat? Does it get quiet? What happens? No, there's a group chat. We have a brother's four of us chat that is pretty.

pretty consistent, you know, throughout the whole playoff, especially post-game and nothing like crazy, but, you know, and then Jordan and I, Mark, actually talked before this round because they're playing Vegas, and that's who we played with Florida a couple years ago. So he's kind of asking just, you know, certain things as what we did, what we liked, they didn't like as far as travel when we were in Vegas, kind of a little logistic things. But yeah, we communicate regularly. I'm here down in Raleigh. I'm going to be at the game the night with my family. My boys weren't going to miss it. They're like, Dad, it's like, it's not like, you don't go there every year. Like, we have to be there.

I was like, you're right, you're right. We got to be there. So we'll be at the game the night, and it'll be a lot of fun. We're not staying with them. My mom and dad are, but we're off on our own, kind of give him the space. We visited with him last night for a little bit with the kids, let them run around and have some fun, and then kind of gave him his space today, so we're staying somewhere else. But he'll be dialed.

He'll be ready. He's excited. I think they're well prepared, and I just hope they start off with a good game tonight. Absolutely. Well, you guys have both got it in common. You know, you've been in Carolina for a cup final before we get you out of here, I guess set the scene on that. What's the buzz and vibe like down there? Well, it's pretty good. I mean, we spent a lot of the today at the golf course this morning, which was a lot of fun.

And then, you know, just driving back to our place, you know, a lot of people with what the jerseys on already and a lot of people walking around with, you know, flags in the cars and whatnot. And I'm sure there have been people tailgating since 9 a.m. And we're going to make our way down there here soon and enjoy some of those festivities. A little less pressure for me. So we'll sit back and try and soak it in and just take in the environment and have some fun. Like I said, it's a special time to be playing and be in the Stanley Cup final.

It doesn't happen all the time. So it's going to be exciting. It's a great atmosphere. This building is one of the best as far as just how loud it is and how these fans can get going especially early. So we're going to enjoy it. Hopefully, Jordo's team can get off to a good start and get that first win in game one.

A thousand bucks at all times, kid. Never forget that. And thanks for doing this. Great on, boys. Be good. See Eric. Great seeing you. There's Eric Stahl.

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