Just before the Carolina Hurricanes first pick in the NHL draft tonight, the Canes worked out a deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins for Jordan Staal, who now joins his brother in Raleigh.

But the Hurricanes not only their No. 8 pick in 2012 draft, they gave up Brandon Sutter and defenseman Brian Dumoulin, a promising prospect. It will be fun and exciting to see Jordan and Eric Staal play together. They have long wanted to play together and they surely will play well together.

However, giving up the 8th pick, a more than solid player in Sutter who had 53 goals and 54 assists in 286 games for the Hurricanes, and what some think is a sure-fire future star in Dumoulin, was too much for the Hurricanes, especially considering that Jordan Staal would have been an unrestricted free agent next year and could have joined his brother with the Hurricanes then.

Supposedly, there were a couple of other teams trying hard to get Jordan Staal, who had given the Penguins notice that he would turn down their contract extension offer. As a result, the Hurricanes threw Sutter into the deal. Sutter, 23, will fit in nicely as the Penguins third-line center role.

That said, Jordan Staal will be able to spread his wings and be a bigger star than he was in Pittsburgh where Sidney Crosby and, and even Evgeni Malkin, are ahead of him.

Not knowing what the other prospective deals were, it’s hard to say whether or not Sutter should have been thrown into the deal. But the No. 8 pick and a promising defenseman normally would be enough for a player who will become an unrestricted free agent in a year.

Jordan Staal just got married and certainly wants some stability for years to come. It’s a good situation for him to be in Raleigh with brother Eric. Still, I can’t help but think the Penguins got a better deal than the Hurricanes. That said, maybe the excitement factor of the brothers playing together (along with the stability of keeping Eric Staal in a Hurricanes uniform) will help keep Carolina Hurricanes fans in their seats (or up out of them) for years to come.