Eric Staal off of the Ice

Right before Round One of the Eastern Conference playoffs began, I talked to Eric Staal about life away from the game of hockey, including what job he had before playing hockey and what he did on his day with Lord Stanley's Cup. Recently I was able to obstruct the Carolina Hurricanes' center, Eric Staal, long enough to ask him a few questions about his life away from the ice. Staal is a 24 year old center from Thunder Bay, Ontario, in his fifth NHL season (all with Carolina). He was drafted second overall in 2003 behind goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh) and in just his second season in the NHL, Staal led all players in the playoffs  in scoring (and assists) with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists), helping the Hurricanes to capture the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in just their ninth season since moving to North Carolina from Hartford. That season he led the 'Canes in goals (45), assists (55), points (100), and shots (279) and his 100 points ranked s...