Do you guys think Eric Staal can become a great foward?

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Freaky Habs Fan

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jtuzzi said:
Yes. Most underrated blue chip prospect in the NHL.

You are probably right...we will really see what he can do this season(compared to the other "first foward" drafted of the previous year)...

2003 was the best draft of the last decade but nobody "really" played like a 1st overall pick...
 

Big Phil

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Eric Staal showed some flashes of brilliance in his rookie year. I cant comment on him until this year. He may never be great but at least 80 points consistently isnt out of his range. Not too bad. But he could surprise me and be a 100 point man someday.
 

MattintheHatt

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I've heard people compare him to Ron Francis in skill/playmaking ability...i think...is that accurate?

And yeah, I really like him. My first NHL 2k5 season I traded for him and he won the Conn Smythe ;) And as we know, what happens in NHL 2k5 is the end all when it comes to hockey knowledge.
 

orangeandblack

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i really like eric staal, but he'll need some help. i think eric is very underated but his brothers are as overated as they come. hopefully they can prove me wrong.
 

NYC Aim 4588

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Great, NO, but a very good 1st line center,YES. Great is a strong word to use IMO atleast. I cant think of a comparison.
But he is under-rated and will be a 1st line center.
 

Anthony Mauro

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NYC Aim 4588 said:
Great, NO, but a very good 1st line center,YES. Great is a strong word to use IMO atleast. I cant think of a comparison.
But he is under-rated and will be a 1st line center.

Very good first line centers are very rare. How's Lundmark doing for us nowadays? The guy is a stud, he can do it all. It all depends on what you're basing "great" on. If you mean it to be in the *current* class of Thornton, LeCavalier, Sakic, Forsberg, Francis then he isn't there right now. But if you're saying that he'll never get there, you are SEVERELY mistaken.
 

Til the End of Time

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With all the flashly forward prospects like Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, etc., Staal is going to probably be left out of any conversations about the games top young forwards.

But don't let that fool you-- Staal might not rack up the points like those guys, but he's going to be one of the more valuable forwards in the league. Don't be surprised if he turns out to be the best player from that very deep draft.
 

Seph

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Honestly, there aren't many young players I'd take over him. He has all the tools to be the most complete forward in the league. And at worse, he will be an excellent shutdown center.
 

bleedgreen

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he plays like francis, and looks like modano when he skates (without the shot)....tall and lanky but not all the coordination is there yet. he isnt a natural goal scorer and he is still pretty much a waif. he had a great year in lowell, point a game. he led the league with 9 shorties (not bad for not being a sniper), and tied for league lead in plus minus. i think he will be a legit no1 center in the league but much like francis will never get proper recognition - he wont be the flashiest or on the highlight reel every night. he is very unselfish and always makes the right play - he slows down to make a pass instead of trying to burn the d. the smarts he shows will always help the team, but maybe will always keep him from upper stratosphere stats.
im pumped we have him and i think he will live up to most expectations. will he be in the top 3 centers in the league at any time...maybe not, but he looks like the guy who is always in the top10 his entire career.
 

Big Phil

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Personall I was floored when I learned that Staal was cut from the '03 WJC team. Yeah he wasnt drafted yet but having him cut was a bigger shock to me than having Horton cut. And what do you know it proved to be a mistake. Staal looks like he'll quietly be a very good player for his entire career though.
 

Habsaku

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Very good player with nice playmaking skills and good skating. I would take him any time on the Habs, he would be the tall number1 center we've been looking for for years. Carolina has a future superstar.
 

HockeyMan9

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I wanted him ahead of Zherdev in 2003, although now i'm glad we ended up with Zherdev I still think just as higher of Staal. He's the complete package IMO, he has all the tools to be one of the top forwards in the game in the not too distant future.
 

Evilo

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Rumor was that Craig Patrick had this list :
1- Fleury
2- Staal
3- Zherdev
4- Horton

Fleury was there because of his position, the most important in hockey, but Staal was CP's favourite player in the draft. Seeing his eye for talent, I'd say it's a telling fact.
 

DaveG

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think Ron Francis with a slightly better shot and better skating, that's what I think Staal could be. I just don't know if he'll put up those kind of numbers.

Out of all the players taken since 2002, I'd probably only take Nash, Crosby and Ovechkin over Staal... possibly Malkin as well, though I honestly think that's somewhat of a tossup at the moment.
 

Anthony Mauro

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Evilo said:
Rumor was that Craig Patrick had this list :
1- Fleury
2- Staal
3- Zherdev
4- Horton

Fleury was there because of his position, the most important in hockey, but Staal was CP's favourite player in the draft. Seeing his eye for talent, I'd say it's a telling fact.

What eye for talent does CP have? Picking Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and Whitney doesn't take talent.
 

boredmale

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I picture Stall as a better version of Rod Brind'Amour when he fills out.
 

Luigi Lemieux

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Balej's Dance said:
What eye for talent does CP have? Picking Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and Whitney doesn't take talent.
i think he means cp has an eye for talent because he picked up floundering players that had the talent and just needed a chance : straka, lang, tarnstrom, jackman, kovalev.
 

fedorov_jr

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Dark Metamorphosis said:
i think he means cp has an eye for talent because he picked up floundering players that had the talent and just needed a chance : straka, lang, tarnstrom, jackman, kovalev.

mysteriously missing is how he gave up on markus naslund for alex stojanov :D


i think staal will become a 80 point nhl forward in the next 3-4 seasons, kind of in a lecavalier type mold.... 25-30 goal scorer, 50+ assists in his peak
 
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