The Carolina Hurricanes did not treat Friday's open practice in Finland like a throwaway session. With the team in the middle of the NHL Global Series and the Seattle Kraken looming, the biggest question was whether Jordan Staal would be ready to return. The answer was not final, but the signs were clear enough to matter: Staal skated with the regulars, centered a line with Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis, and gave Carolina a possible boost ahead of a rare international showcase.
Rod Brind'Amour said the team would see how Staal feels on game day before deciding whether he would play. That is the key detail here. This was not a ceremonial skate or a loose split-squad look. It was a meaningful step in evaluating a player whose presence can change the way Carolina lines up, especially in a setting where every shift feels a little more important.
What the practice suggested
Staal working alongside Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis suggested the Hurricanes were at least preparing for the possibility of having him in the lineup against the Kraken. If that happens, someone else has to come out, and the most obvious question becomes who gets bumped. The practice did not settle that part, but it did show that Carolina was actively working through the possibility rather than treating Staal as a long shot.
That matters because the Hurricanes are not just any team on a road trip. They arrived in Finland as the reigning Stanley Cup champions, and the trip has already drawn fans who traveled in high numbers to be part of it. For a club that has had one of its best years in 2026, the Global Series is both a showcase and a stress test: a chance to enjoy the moment, but also a reminder that lineup management still matters even far from home.
What it means for Carolina
If Staal plays, Carolina gets more than a familiar name back in the middle of the ice. It gets a center option who changes the structure of the lineup and can help steady the group in a game that may be tighter than usual. If he does not, the Hurricanes will have to keep adjusting on the fly, even after an open practice that appeared to tilt toward optimism.
So the situation remains simple, if unresolved. Staal skated. The coaches watched. Brind'Amour left the door open. In a Global Series game that already has enough intrigue, that is enough to make the Hurricanes' lineup one of the more interesting questions left before puck drop.
