Staal Brothers Make Their Name Even Bigger, This Time Not in Hockey

The Staal name is a big name in hockey. Everyone knows the legendary Staal brothers. Eric, Marc, Jordan, and Jared- all exceptional players, and all from the same family. And although they’re from Canada, who would’ve thought two sod farmers from the town of Thunder Bay, Ontario would have four successful sons in the NHL?

Eric, the oldest of the Staal brothers at age 29, has played for the Carolina Hurricanes since the 2003-2004 season. He is currently the captain of the Canes and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in the 2006 finals. This season, Eric has played in 68 games for the Hurricanes and has reached 55 points.

For the first year, Eric has been able to play on the Hurricanes with his younger brother, Jordan. This is Jordan’s first season with the Canes after playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins for six seasons and winning a Stanley Cup in 2009. Jordan has already followed his oldest brother’s path with the Canes, taking a spot as the alternate captain and wearing number 11, one under Eric’s number 12.

Another Carolina Hurricane from the Staal family is Jared Staal who took on number 13, one above Eric, but the youngest of the four brothers. Jared was originally drafted to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2008 but was acquired by the Hurricanes in 2010. Jared has only made two appearances so far in the NHL, but he is currently doing big things with the Canes’ farm team, the Charlotte Checkers.

Marc Staal, the second oldest brother behind Eric, has taken a different role in the NHL. He is the only of the four brothers to play defenseman and the only one to not play for the Carolina Hurricanes. Instead, Marc plays for the New York Rangers as an alternate captain with 12 points in 63 games played this season.

It’s easy to see the Staal brothers aren’t nobodies in the world of hockey. And now, they’ve decided to make their name even bigger.

On March 24, 2014, the Staal family made the move to make their name big in a new sport… golf. They made an announcement yesterday that the Staal Family Foundation would be the title sponsor of the PGA Tour Canada’s Thunder Bay Golf Classic. The four brothers signed a three-year agreement to sponsor the event which will now be known as the Staal Foundation Open and it will be presented by TbayTel.

The Staal Family Foundation is a charitable trust fund with a strong focus on family, community and charity. They typically support families connected to hockey that are in need, but this time they will be supporting golfers in their hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The name we all know in hockey will soon be also prominent in golf. The Staal brothers are very excited to be part of the event debuting on July 14, 2014 at the Whitewater Golf Club. They hope to receive support from their hockey fans and prove their excellence on the ice isn’t the only thing the brothers have going for them.