PITTSBURGH — Jordan Staal wanted a family reunion, and the Pittsburgh Penguins obliged.

The Penguins traded the talented center to the Carolina Hurricanes for two players and Carolina’s first-round pick in the NHL draft that was held in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

The 23-year-old Staal helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2009 but reportedly balked at signing a contract extension. Staal has one season left on his current four-year deal. Rather than continue negotiating, the Penguins shipped him to the Hurricanes, where Staal will join brother Eric. Carolina also has Jared Staal – currently playing in the American Hockey League.

Pittsburgh received center Brandon Sutter and defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the deal as well as Carolina’s eighth-overall pick in the draft, which the Penguins used to select defenseman Derrick Pouliot.

With their second first-round pick, the Pens selected Olli Maatta, a defenseman from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Staal trade came shortly after the Washington Capitals dealt a second-round pick and center Cody Eakin to the Dallas Stars for center Mike Ribiero. The 32-year-old Ribiero tied for second on the Stars last season in points, scoring 18 goals to go with 45 assists in 74 games.

Earlier in the day, the Philadelphia Flyers shipped backup goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets for three draft picks – a second-rounder and fourth-rounder in this draft and a fourth-rounder next year.

The New York Islanders also acquired veteran Lubomir Visnovsky from the Anaheim Ducks for New York’s second-round selection in 2013.

On a day when speculation about the future of Columbus star Rick Nash abounded, it was the Penguins who provided the draft with a jolt by sending the popular Staal packing.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero thanked Staal for his contributions to the franchise before taking Pouliot as the capacity crowd at Consol Energy Center roared its approval. The move is a stunning end to a hugely successful run in Pittsburgh for Staal, taken with the sixth pick in the 2006 draft.

Staal quickly developed into a linchpin of Pittsburgh’s meteoric rise through the league. Teaming with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Staal gave the Penguins arguably the best trio of centers in the NHL.

He was a valuable penalty killer and began developing a deft touch around the net in recent years. He scored a career-high 25 goals in the 2011-12 season despite missing 20 games due to injury.

The move gives Carolina an elite young forward they hope will continue to flourish alongside big brother Eric.

“Right back to when all these Staal brothers were drafted, they said at some point in their career, they’d all like to play together,” Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said. “This will be a real good fit for them. I think they can have some fun with this. These are guys that can dominate games, and so I think it all fits together for the two brothers and the family.”

Once Staal reportedly turned down an extension earlier this week to stay in Pittsburgh, speculation quickly picked up around the Hurricanes.

Rutherford said Penguins GM Ray Shero called him at about 4:20 p.m. on Friday to say he probably would be moving Staal. He said the deal with Carolina was completed at 6:45 p.m. and announced moments before the Hurricanes were to make their first-round pick at No. 8.

The price Carolina had to pay for their third Staal was rather steep.

The 23-year-old Sutter, the Hurricanes’ first-round pick in 2007, has 53 goals and 54 assists in parts of four promising NHL seasons. The durable son of former Calgary Flames coach Brent Sutter – and a member of one of the sport’s most famous families – was fifth on the team with 17 goals this season. He hasn’t missed a game since the 2009-10 season.

Dumoulin, 21, was taken by Carolina in the second round in 2009 and he helped Boston College win the Frozen Four in April before signing a three-year, entry-level contract.