Ghost Pirates name Jared Staal as head coach

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Savannah Ghost Pirates announced that they have hired Jared Staal as the team's new head coach. 

Staal, 33, has served as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League for the past two seasons. Before Charlotte, the Thunder Bay, Ontario native held the same role with the Orlando Solar Bears from 2019-22. 

"We are very excited to welcome Jared and his family to the Ghost Pirates as our next Head Coach," Zawyer Sports incoming Vice President of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst said. "With Jared's experience in both the ECHL and AHL as a player and an assistant coach, along with knowing what it takes to build a winning team in the ECHL, he is the perfect fit. Jared's vision in how we build our winning team with his recruiting, preparation, communication and teaching will hold players accountable while establishing a winning culture that our great fans in Savannah deserve this upcoming season."

"I'm really thankful for this opportunity," Staal said. "I'm excited to immerse my family into the culture and be a significant part of the Savannah community. We are eagerly looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to work. I've heard nothing but great things about the fans, the arena and the in-game experience. I'm just so excited to be a part of it and do the best job I can for the organization."

Prior to his coaching career, Staal played nine years professionally in North America, including 97 games in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays and the Florida Everblades. 

"The South Division is the toughest division in ECHL. That's the exciting part of it because you're going against the best of the best. It's a great challenge; we are going to build a team that will work every single night and be competitive. You can't take a day off in the South."

His AHL playing tenure consisted of 232 games with Charlotte, the San Antonio Rampage and the Providence Bruins. The Phoenix Coyotes selected Staal in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft; he appeared in two NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2013. 

"As a player, I wore many different hats," Staal said. "Going back to junior [with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL], I was relied on for offense and the power play. In the AHL, I fought and found an identity on the penalty kill. I've had a wide range of experiences, from grinding through the ECHL to playing a few NHL games. I'm fortunate to have had those experiences and look forward to sharing them with the players we will have in Savannah."

Jared is the younger brother of Eric, Marc and Jordan Staal.