Eric Staal

Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He is the older brother of Marc Staal, who is playing for the New York Rangers, Jordan Staal, who is playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Jared Staal, who is playing for the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
==Playing career==
Staal grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He played AAA for the Thunder Bay Kings organization and led his Bantam team to an All-Ontario Championship in 1999-2000. After that season, Staal was selected in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 2000 OHL Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes.
Staal was selected second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, behind number 1 pick Marc-André Fleury. He had played for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL the year before, scoring 98 points in 66 games.
He played his first season in the National Hockey League right after being drafted. In 2004, Staal played in the YoungStars game as part of the 2004 NHL All-Star festivities.
He was named NHL Offensive Player of the Week (October 23–30, 2005). On October 28, 2005, Staal had his first career hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers. He led the Hurricanes in points during the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 28 points as they won the Stanley Cup. Staal was fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy, which is the award for the NHL's most valuable player.
On July 1, 2006, Staal signed a three year, $13.5 million contract with the Hurricanes.
Staal made his first All-Star game appearance in 2007 NHL All-Star game in Dallas, where he scored the Eastern Conference's third goal.
He and his younger brother Jordan Staal were members of the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won gold in a 4-2 win against Finland in Moscow.
On January 27, 2008, at the NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta, Staal recorded 2 goals and an assist. He was also awarded the MVP award for the event.
On September 11, 2008, Staal signed a seven year, $57.75 million deal with the Hurricanes beginning in the 2009/2010 NHL season. Staal was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2009, but signed despite having 1 year at $5 million remaining on his former contract.
On April 28, 2009, Staal capped an improbable comeback by scoring the series winning goal with 31.7 seconds remaining in the seventh game of Carolina's first round series with the New Jersey Devils.
On May 8, 2009, Staal scored twice to earn 40 career postseason points and eclipse Ron Francis' franchise mark of 39.
On January 20, 2010, Staal was named team captain, replacing Rod Brind'Amour who was named an alternate captain. Staal became the fifth captain since the team relocated to Raleigh.
On January 18, 2011, Staal was named the captain of the 2011 NHL All-Star Game In Raleigh, North Carolina.
==Personal life==
Staal married his longtime girlfriend Tanya VandenBroeke on Friday August 3rd 2007. He has one son, Parker Lucas Staal, born September 22nd 2009. He and his wife are expecting their second child, due in December 2011.
==Awards and achievements==
*2002–03: Top Draft Prospect Award (OHL)
*2002–03: Second All-Star Team (OHL)
*2002–03: First All-Star Team (CHL)
*2003–04: Played in the YoungStars Game (NHL)
*2005–06: Won Stanley Cup with Carolina Hurricanes, NHL 2nd All-Star Team
*2007: World Ice Hockey gold
*NHL All-Star Game appearances: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
*2007–08: All-Star Game MVP
*2010: Olympic gold (Staal became the 23rd member of the Triple Gold Club)Triple Gold for Eric Staal, iihf.com, 28 February 2010.
== Records ==
* Most hat tricks in 2008–09 - 4
* Carolina Hurricanes' franchise record for most hat tricks in a single season - 4 (2008–09)
* Carolina Hurricanes' franchise record for most career post-season points - 43
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2000–01 	Peterborough Petes 	OHL 	 	63 	19 	30 	49 	23 	 	7 	2 	5 	7 	4
2001–02 	Peterborough Petes 	OHL 	 	56 	23 	39 	62 	40 	 	6 	3 	6 	9 	10
2002–03 	Peterborough Petes 	OHL 	 	66 	39 	59 	98 	36 	 	7 	5 	9 	14 	6
2003–04 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	81 	11 	20 	31 	40 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL 	 	77 	26 	51 	77 	88 	 	11 	2 	8 	10 	12
2005–06 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	82 	45 	55 	100 	81 	 	25 	9 	19 	28 	8
2006–07 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	82 	30 	40 	70 	68 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	82 	38 	44 	82 	50 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	82 	40 	35 	75 	50 	 	18 	10 	5 	15 	4
2009–10 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	70 	29 	41 	70 	68 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	81 	33 	43 	76 	72 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	560 	226 	278 	504 	429 	 	43 	19 	24 	43 	12
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International play==
Played for Canada in:
*2007 World Championships (gold medal)
*2008 World Championships (silver medal)
*2010 Winter Olympics (gold medal)
===International statistics===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
2007 	Canada 	WC 	 	9 	5 	5 	10 	6
2008 	Canada 	WC 	 	8 	4 	3 	7 	6
2010 	Canada 	Oly 	 	7 	1 	5 	6 	6
Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	 	24	10	13	23 	18
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:Born in 1984
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes captains
Category:Carolina Hurricanes draft picks
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:2010 Olympian
Category:Lowell Lock Monsters players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:National Hockey League players with 100 point seasons
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Canada
Category:Peterborough Petes alumni
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Triple Gold Club
Category:NHL Players that have scored a hat trick