Eric Staal keeps doing the thing, nets 400th career goal

Incase you haven’t noticed, Eric Staal doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

Coming off one of the best campaigns of his career — one that saw him net 42 goals and 76 points — the 33-year-old forward has rode that momentum right into the 2018-19 season.

He’s won Stanley Cups, Olympic medals and all that jazz, but there’s one thing the 15-year NHLer has never done in his storied career: win an offensive-zone draw and get a stick on the defenceman’s shot from the point for your 400th career goal.

Nevermind, I’m getting word that we can scratch that one of the ole’ list now, apparently.

The marker was Staal’s fifth of the young season, giving him 11 points on the campaign — ranking him fourth on the Wild behind Mikael Granlund, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, who entered Saturday’s action with 12 points a piece.

Staal came into this season tied with Vancouver Canucks legend Markus Naslund for 100th on the NHL’s all-time goals and, in the first month of the 2018-19 campaign, has passed Dave Keon, Paul Coffee and Joe Thornton to climb to No. 96 on the list, where he currently sits.

The 2006 Stanley Cup champ sits 10 tallies back of Ray Bourque for No. 87 and just 50 back of Peter Stastny, who sits 50th. It’s very conceivable that, when all is said and done for Stall, he could be sitting as one of the 50 most productive goal scorers ever.

Though that’s not a given by any means, one thing that is all but a guarantee, however, is Staal’s eventual induction in the Hall of Fame.

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