Claypool said:
Anyone who takes Staal over Ruutu needs to get their head examined.
A brilliant, cohesive, well-thought-out argument. Which debate school did you go to?
It's not like Staal is some one-dimensional, floating offensive centre. He'll be as good defensively as offensively, he'll win faceoffs, and he's one of the best leaders from the past five drafts. (Mike Richards is the only one who comes to mind that's better). He won't be the physical force that Ruuttu will be, but Staal isn't afraid to get involved physically, stand in front of the net or battle in the corners.
The Francis comparisons actually started the year before Staal was drafted, long before he ever put on a Hurricanes jersey. (Then again, Francis has been the blue print for highly skilled, smart, two-way forwards for years).
One thing to keep in mind is that Staal is nearly two years younger than Ruuttu, thus Ruuttu should be the better player right now. Within five to seven years, though, Staal will not only be the better player, but in top-10 lists for best all-round player in the league.