Staal will be out for 1-2 months after sustaining a torn calf muscle, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports Tuesday.
Staal went pointless through the first six games of the season before missing Sunday's matchup with the Flyers. Even with his offense drying up, the 38-year-old center remains a key piece of the Canes' roster and figures to retake his third-line role once he is cleared to play. In the meantime, Mark Jankowski should be expected to take on a bigger role, including with the No. 2 power-play unit.