Staal shows he deserves the 'C' with a hat trick.

The Carolina Hurricanes' new captain, Eric Staal, made a statement in his debut wearing the 'C.' He did exactly what has been preached by previous captain Rod Brind'Amour: he led by example.

Staal recorded his 10th career hat trick in the 5-2 win over Atlanta. He scored the game's first goal, knocked in an overpowering shot from the circle on a power play in the 2nd period, and put the icing on the win with an empty-netter in the final minute. The 25-year-old Forward, dubbed a franchise player, led his team to an impressive road win, of which there haven't been many this season for the Canes. The game also saw the Carolina power play, ranked 23rd in the NHL, show some life, converting its first three opportunities. The other cornerstone of the franchise, goalie Cam Ward, also performed brilliantly, stopping 32 shots. Many of his saves were highlight-reel worthy.

It's very fitting that the two best young players on the Hurricanes stepped up in big ways on a night of transition. They not only showed their team that this new era with Staal as captain can be great, but also honored Rod the Bod with their stellar play. It would have been sad to see Brind'Amour's transition to being an alternate captain begin with a whimper. Staal and Ward did him proud.

I've always been a Brind'Amour fan. How could you not be after the way he led his team to a Stanley Cup Championship in '06, scoring 12 goals in 25 games along the way? That was the most goals for any Carolina player in those playoffs, and second only to Edmonton's Fernando Pisani. I've got a t-shirt with No. 17 on the back, and I'll still wear it with pride even though the Bod's playing time has dwindled.

And while I'm not terribly keen on the mid-season timing of the switch, obviously Eric Staal is the right man to lead this team. It was ultimately very telling that although he didn't score as many goals as Brind'Amour in '06, he had the most points of any player in the playoffs with 9 goals and 19 assists. Even then, in only his 2nd NHL season, he was showing what a leader he could be. And who could forget his series-winning goal last year against the Devils? I'm sure Marty Brodeur hasn't. Although, he obviously hasn't let it phase him or his team this season.

You've got to respect Rod Brind'Amour for being so classy about this switch, saying he's the one who is honored to pass the torch to Staal. And you also have to admire how well Staal performed under the pressure of carrying that torch for the first time.