BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
He comes from the next big hockey family.
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Wolves? defender Marc Staal is getting all kinds of ice time and playing superbly for a 16-year-old OHL rookie. |
He already has a lot to live up to, but Sudbury Wolves rookie defenceman Marc Staal is looking forward to the challenge and developing into one of the premier defenders in the OHL.
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Staal grew up playing hockey in arguably Canada?s greatest hockey development factory.
He also developed his skills playing on the backyard rink his father constructed, playing with his three brothers.
Staal?s older brother, Eric, was selected second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft after two outstanding seasons with the Peterborough Petes.
There?s a bit of pressure, but Staal is taking it all in stride.
?I feel a bit of pressure, but I don?t think about it too much,? said Staal. ?He has done what he?s done and now I have to do what I have to do.?
Just as his older brother is being hailed as a potential savior for the Hurricanes, Marc is being herald as a potential force to be reckoned with on the blue line around the rinks in the OHL. He hopes, over the course of the next
season or two, to help the Wolves change from cellar dwellars to potential champions.
Head coach and general manager Mike Foligno has given the lanky 16-year-old plenty of ice time and playing time to spread his wings and take flight. Foligno has liked what he?s seen so far.
?Marc has handled himself remarkably well, especially with the amount of ice time he has received,? said Foligno.
?He has received so much ice time, you look for a guy to start to wear down, but he hasn?t. He has been ready for the challenge and shown great poise.?
Staal already has a leg up on a lot of players his age because of his tremendous poise and outstanding work ethic.
?His poise and composure on the ice is not something you see in a lot of 16 year old hockey players,? said
Foligno. ?It?s a great start for him. He already has something other players have to learn and develop. He can already start focusing on other things like getting quicker, moving the puck better and making better decisions.?
For now, Staal just wants to keep things simple and effective.
?I just want to get better every practice and every game,? said Staal. ?I want to keep playing solid defence for the team.?
Staal is 21 games into his OHL career and starting to find a groove.
?The pace has slowed down a bit for me,? said Staal. ?I am getting used to moving the puck quicker and working on better on-ice communication.?
Staal was anxious to play for Sudbury.
?I was really happy,? said Staal, on being selected by the Wolves, second overall in the OHL draft. ?I was excited to come here and get a chance to play.?
Staal doesn?t forget his roots. His time on the backyard rink and strong family values has served him well.
?My mom and dad, (Linda and Henry) were the biggest influences in my life,? said Staal. ?They drove my brothers and me to games all the time, They?re both really dedicated and they have been great in teaching us stuff about life and hockey.?
Foligno knows what it will take for Staal to have a successful rookie year.
?He has to keep doing the things he?s doing,? said Foligno. ?When he?s on the ice, you feel like you have a player out there you can rely on. He?s responsible and physical. He uses his stick well to poke check and uses his reach to create passing lanes for himself. He?s doing a lot of great things right now that will enable him to become a
better hockey player in the future.?
Hockey fans in Sudbury haven?t heard the last of the Staal family. Two younger brothers, reportedly with equal
or better talent than Eric and Marc, are scheduled to be drafted into the OHL in the next couple of years.
