Staal Brothers Set NHL Record When Marc Plays 1,000th Game Tonight

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Marc Staal tonight becomes the third Staal brother to play 1,000 NHL games and every NHL scout would love to have the family’s recipe.

“You will have to ask my mom,” Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal said. “Maybe something in the water in Thunder Bay (Ontario) being good stuff. Obviously it helps to have your siblings in the same boat. We’ve really fed off each other over the years. And it’s understanding what works and what doesn’t. Using each other in our ups and downs and learning from each other.”

This marks the first time in the NHL’s 105-year history three brothers have logged 1,000 or more NHL games. Six Sutter brothers played in the NHL, and the family didn’t boast three who reached 1,000 games. Peter, Anton and Marian Stastny didn’t get there. Same with the Broten boys. The 6-foot-4 Staal brothers stand alone in this distinction.