Staal’s early season slip doesn’t stain record

After his 10-goal performance in the playoffs last spring, leading his Carolina Hurricanes into the NHL’s Eastern Conference semifinal against his brother Jordan and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Eric Staal was considered by most a lock to make the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team.

Then the start of the 2009-10 campaign began.

The 25-year-old, already with a 100-point season under his belt, was being outscored by his younger brother Marc, a stay-at-home defenceman with the New York Rangers, when he went down with an upper body injury in early November that took him out of the lineup for 10 games, ending his consecutive games played streak at 349.

With three goals and two assists at the time, Staal was no longer a lock for Vancouver. In fact he’d likely even slipped off the bubble and into the abyss where the Colton Orrs of the world subside.

Well, probably not that far, but he certainly wasn’t making a case for himself.

Staal’s return to favour began Nov. 25, with an assist. It took him eight games to score his next goal, a stretch of 13 goalless games when added together. But he managed to string together a 10-game point-scoring streak, including multiple point efforts on four occasions, collecting 21 points in the 16 games leading up to Team Canada’s Dec. 30 roster unveiling.

He said he tried not to let it bother him.

"I wasn’t overly concerned myself. As a professional I need to make sure that I’m healthy and getting better every game. Obviously it wasn’t a great start for myself personally or that I wanted for our team, but I was a little banged up and playing through some things at the beginning of the year," Staal said in a phone interview from Raleigh, N.C.

"Then there came a point and I couldn’t play anymore, so that was difficult, a real learning process for me. But I came back from injury and have been playing a lot better as of late."
He also gave credit to Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman and Manitouwadge-born coach Mike Babcock for taking into consideration circumstances and past history when it came to make their final decisions.

"They’ve watched a lot of hockey the past couple of years. It’s not only just this season," said Staal, who has 33 points in 36 games with the Hurricanes. "I’m glad that they watched a lot of hockey and they know the type of player that I am. It’s going to be, obviously, a very high-pressure situation and I’d like to think I’ve played in some pretty important games in my career.

A Stanley Cup champion in 2006, the Thunder Bay native said he’s up for the challenge and excited to get a chance to go for the gold in front of Canadian fans. Where he plays, or who he’s teamed with, is of little consequence, three weeks before the Games are slated to begin.

"I’m thinking that I’ll be on the wing, but I’m not sure what their plans are exactly. Whatever the case may be, like any guy on the team, you’re going to do what you can in any role and that’s where you kind of leave your ego and pride at the door and you do anything that they’re asking for and try to fill that role to the best of your ability and go from there," Staal said.

He is keeping an eye on the injury lists, though, wondering if he might be joined by a fifth Northwestern Ontario native in Vancouver, namely his younger brother Jordan of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jordan has been touted by none other than Don Cherry as someone deserving of a spot on the squad, and while Eric Staal doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt, he’d love to have his brother along for the ride.

"That would be obviously exciting for our family and for Jordan. I think he’s had a great season this year again, and obviously being in the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row and helping them win a Stanley Cup championship last year, he’s a guy that’s very good in the playoffs, very good in big games and if the opportunity arises for him, he’s going to be very good in that situation," Staal said.

"You never know what could happen."

Canada opens the 2010 Games against Norway on Feb. 16.