Staal good
Mar 17, 2009
Tags: Hockey, Carolina Hurricanes
Eric Staal is comfortable with who he is and what he means to the Carolina Hurricanes. The best thing about hosting Canes Corner is getting the players to talk instead of answer questions. Staal who is tied for the team lead in points with 63, and has scored 33 goals said that his contract did not add any more pressure than what he puts on himself. For a player who has already won a Stanley Cup, garnered All-Star Game MVP honors and earned the contract the Canes gave him this off season for what he means to the franchise and the league he did say, “something I am grateful and thankful for, I try not to think about it too much but sometimes you can’t help it.”
Staal also said that living in Raleigh is what leads to him finding that comfort level, even with a high profile. He has noticed a difference in the attention level he is given after winning the Stanley Cup. Yet he doesn’t feel that they are invading his privacy, in fact the people are “very polite”. The fact that Raleigh is positive towards their team helps too, Staal went on to say, “You get that negative tone continued throughout a team it’s not going help you win it’s just going to make things worse. For around here people are always looking positive towards the players and the whole organization.”
The Canes top scorer also commented on having Erik Cole back, “his speed and his power game that really backs off other team’s defense.” What Cole brings to the rink is open ice up the middle for Staal, he was quick to point Tuomo Ruutu also adds to the dynamic of the Canes top line. “That is the biggest thing, using what we have to our advantage and that is speed and size.”
Eric Staal is playing confident hockey and there are a lot of factors into that, line mates, not letting his contract be a weight, the area. The biggest reason why Eric Staal has turned it on of late is he is just playing like Eric Staal, and that should make every Hurricane fan feel comfortable.
