Vagrant
The Czech Condor
Here is how i've come to know both players. It could be off, but there isn't a person here who has a definitive answer about this question because there are too many variables.
Tuomo Ruutu = Bobby Holik with a far greater offensive ceiling. If Holik had the offensive skills to play at a point per game level, then we'd have Tuomo Ruutu. That's my personal favorite as far as comparison goes. Aside from similarities in style, they have similar aspects to their history as well. Holik went #10 in 1989, Ruutu went #9 in 2001. Holik scored 43 points in his debut year, Ruutu scored 44 points. Those are fairly coincidental, but the way Ruutu uses his body and attacks reminds me a lot of Holik, especially in his prime days as a Devil. Similar frame as well.
Eric Staal = Mike Modano spliced with Joe Thornton. That's lofty praise, but taking the big names out of the equation and you'll understand the comparison more. I'm not saying that Staal will ever produce like those players, but his style lends itself well to those two together. A lot of people aren't projecting his frame as well as they should. Staal added 20 pounds of muscle over the lockout and he's going to play an entirelly differant game once Laviolette gets ahold of him again. You're going to see a Thornton-esque type approach to scoring that should benefit him well. What Staal lacks in the brute strength that Thornton has, he makes up for in his skating stride and that's where the Mike Modano comparison starts. His speed and awareness are right up there with a young Modano, as he commands attention from the opposing team at such a young age.
That's just how I see the situation.
Tuomo Ruutu = Bobby Holik with a far greater offensive ceiling. If Holik had the offensive skills to play at a point per game level, then we'd have Tuomo Ruutu. That's my personal favorite as far as comparison goes. Aside from similarities in style, they have similar aspects to their history as well. Holik went #10 in 1989, Ruutu went #9 in 2001. Holik scored 43 points in his debut year, Ruutu scored 44 points. Those are fairly coincidental, but the way Ruutu uses his body and attacks reminds me a lot of Holik, especially in his prime days as a Devil. Similar frame as well.
Eric Staal = Mike Modano spliced with Joe Thornton. That's lofty praise, but taking the big names out of the equation and you'll understand the comparison more. I'm not saying that Staal will ever produce like those players, but his style lends itself well to those two together. A lot of people aren't projecting his frame as well as they should. Staal added 20 pounds of muscle over the lockout and he's going to play an entirelly differant game once Laviolette gets ahold of him again. You're going to see a Thornton-esque type approach to scoring that should benefit him well. What Staal lacks in the brute strength that Thornton has, he makes up for in his skating stride and that's where the Mike Modano comparison starts. His speed and awareness are right up there with a young Modano, as he commands attention from the opposing team at such a young age.
That's just how I see the situation.