LeBrun on Staal-to-Leafs rumours

Pierre LeBrun was on TSN 1050 Wednesday afternoon.

On the report on Eric Staal in Tuesday night’s Insider Trading and how people seem to draw the conclusion that it's a foregone conclusion he’ll go the Leafs:

“This is what frustrates me. I feel for Dregs. I’ve had to talk about it on radio on different shows today.

“If you listen to what he said – you know, people hear what they want to hear. What he said is ‘if’ – ‘if’ Carolina ever decided to take calls on Eric Staal, Toronto would be among the serious bidders.

“And that part, of course, is 100 percent accurate. That’s his info that he got through his sources through the Leafs. But the ‘if’ part was clearly established to the point where even Bobby and I both have talked about the fact that as far as we know, Eric Staal doesn’t want to go anywhere. Bobby talked about Eric Staal’s desire to stay in Carolina via his no-movement clause and I can tell you that talking to a Hurricanes source last night after this report came out, he said ‘Hey, that’s pretty much the last guy we want to trade.’

“Now, that what he says now. Let’s see after what appears to be probably what’ll be a long year Hurricanes how they feel next summer and I think there’s financial pressure on that team. The team is for sale, by the way. So there are some interesting factors. But as far as part of the equation which is ‘if’ Carolina ever wants to trade Eric Staal, right now that ‘if’ part is – the answer is no.”

Related: Ward: Canes would be "apprehensive" to move Eric Staal

Staal’s contract is up at the end of next season, he’s making $8.25 million, and may only want to go to a few different teams. How much leverage Ron Francis and the Hurricanes would actually have in the end?

“Right. Precisely. So a lot of this – and you can’t skirt the part whether Eric Staal himself would ever want to leave Carolina. You just do not get the feeling at all that’s even in his mind at this point. Again, this may be a year like no others for him in terms of the lack of success this team looks like they’re going to have this year. But him and Jordan, his brother, are together in Carolina. And that was the plan. And that’s what they want to do for the rest of their careers. So that’s something that you can’t discount at this stage.

“And the other thing too Bryan, and there’s no question the Leafs would get in there hard if he was ever made available, but they wouldn’t be alone. There are other teams with other assets that would definitely inquire. It’s just so rare for centers of this level to become available, although I guess the Dallas Stars try to get one every year. But other than Jim Nill, for every other GM in the league, it’s almost impossible to get these guys in their prime and so the Leafs would face competition from other teams and it obviously depends on the kind of wish list that Eric Staal would ever want to establish through his agent. All these things have to play out and I don’t think any of them are in the short term here.”

Source: TSN 1050/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey