Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player playing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Eric is the oldest of the Staal brothers, which include former teammates Marc Staal, Jordan Staal, and Jared Staal. He is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, and both the 2007 World Championships and the 2010 Winter Olympics with Team Canada.\n', '

Staal was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, the son of sod farmers Henry and Linda Staal. All four of his grandparents were Dutch immigrants. He started playing hockey at the age of four, and along with learning how to operate farming tools he played in a home ice rink with his three younger brothers. His idols growing up were forwards Joe Sakic and Wayne Gretzky. Eric took his jersey number 12 from what his father wore when he played hockey for the Lakehead Thunderwolves from 1978 to 1983.\n', '

Staal grew up playing minor hockey in Thunder Bay, and played AAA for the Thunder Bay Kings organization and led his Bantam team to an All-Ontario Championship in the 1999–2000 season. After the season, Staal was selected in the first round, 13th overall, in the 2000 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes. While not even Staal\'s father thought Eric was fit for the OHL, he finished his first season with 49 points in 63 games. In his sophomore season, Staal upped his total to 62, and in 2002–03, his last season before the NHL Entry Draft, he scored a career-best 98 points in 66 games.\n', '

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