Sabres Hire Former Stanley Cup Champion

The Buffalo Sabres have hired Stanley Cup-winning forward Eric Staal as special assistant to the general manager, the team announced Wednesday morning.

In the newly-created role, Staal will report directly to general manager Kevyn Adams and "will assist in all aspects of the hockey department, including scouting and direct involvement with players and prospects."

“As I looked for ways to enhance our existing staff, I wanted to add somebody to our group that has a fresh perspective and the direct experience of winning at all levels of hockey,” Adams said, per the team's website. "Eric was one of the first people I thought of when I originally became general manager, so it is fitting that he is the first addition to our organization this offseason. He has done it all as a player and I know his experience and knowledge will be invaluable to our team as we look to take the next step."

Staal, 40, played 1,365 NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers. In that time, he scored 1,063 points (455 goals, 608 assists) and played in six All-Star Games. He spent seven seasons as the Hurricanes' captain, helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2006 and is one of four players to have his number retired by the franchise.

“Although it was short, I loved my time in Buffalo and as a player I was lucky to get a small glimpse of what makes the city such a special place and a terrific sports town,” Staal said. “Throughout my career I was fortunate to be on so many successful teams and I hope I can lean on some of those experiences to help the organization moving forward. I’m thankful to Kevyn for giving me this opportunity and I’m eager to lend my experience to help in any way that I can."

Staal is the eldest of four brothers, all of whom played in the NHL. Jordan Staal, the second-youngest of the quartet and current captain of the Hurricanes, is the only one still playing.

The Sabres, meanwhile, haven't made the playoffs in 14 seasons, the longest drought in NHL history. As they look to finally end that drought, they hope adding some championship pedigree to the front office can help.