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Monday, June 16, 2003

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

All through junior hockey, Eric Staal heard the comparison.

"Yeah ... Ron Francis," he said with a slight sigh. "I've heard it a lot."

Chances are good he will hear it for years to come, too. Not only because of his height, skill and creativity from the center position, but also because the teams picking second and third in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft Saturday are the Carolina Hurricanes and the Penguins, the only employers of Francis' brilliant career.

	First in a series on the top five prospects in the NHL Entry Draft Saturday and Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. The Penguins have the third overall pick.

"I'm not worried about that," Staal said. "For one thing, I really don't pattern my game after anybody else's. For another, Francis is a pretty good player."

The consensus on Staal is that he can be a pretty good player, perhaps the most complete of what most scouts believe is the richest and deepest draft of the past decade. The Hockey News' draft preview, which consults a panel of scouts to formulate its player rankings, has Staal No. 1. The NHL's Central Scouting Bureau has him No. 1 among North American skaters.

The Penguins are not divulging their internal rankings, but head scout Greg Malone acknowledged Staal is viewed widely as the safest possible No. 1, primarily because of his leadership traits and offensive consistency.

"He's smart and very confident," Malone said. "One of those players who plays really well at both ends of the rink. And he can snap the puck, too. He can really fire it and score goals."

The difference between Staal and Francis at the same age, as Malone and other scouts are quick to note, is that Staal has speed. He moves his 6-foot-3, 182-pound frame with a grace that is reminiscent of the Boston Bruins' Joe Thornton. He is not a power forward -- there are lingering concerns about his bulk and strength -- but he mounts offense through quickness and finesse.

Ask Staal which of his qualities is most important to him, and he will respond in a fashion typical of many of the game's youngsters.

"I really take pride in my defense," he said. "I think it's important to contribute offensively to the team, but I also make sure I get back."

He pointed to the Dallas Stars' Mike Modano, one of the NHL's premier two-way forwards, as an example of his style.

"I try to use my speed in a lot of different ways."

Staal finished seventh in the Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 39 goals and 59 assists in 66 games. More impressive, he was dominant in the playoffs, producing nine goals and five assists in seven games.

Peterborough Petes' Eric Staal celebrates a short-handed goal scored against the Oshawa Generals during OHL playoff action in Peterborough, Ont., in this March 27, 2003 photo. (Clifford Skarstedt, Peterborough Examiner via AP)

He might prefer to forget that postseason, though, as it had a dubious ending for him and his Peterborough team. Only three seconds remained in regulation of Game 7 when a bad-angle shot by an Oshawa player deflected off Staal's stick and behind his goaltender. Oshawa won early in overtime.

"It was tough to lose, especially like that," Staal said. "But I thought I played well, the way I wanted to play."

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, on the shore of Lake Superior in northwest Ontario, Staal and his three younger brothers had the edge over other children in the area because of a patchwork, 50-by-100 rink their father, Henry, built in the back yard.

"When we got lights for it, we could go day and night on it," Staal said. "We have pretty long winters up here, so we had a long season, too. My brothers and my cousin played a ton of hockey, and I think it helped me get to where I am now."

Which is, perhaps, on cusp of being made the No. 1 pick in the draft.

"I think about it, and I thought about it during the season. But it's really out of my control, so all I can do is look forward to seeing where I'll go to play in the NHL. That's my goal."

Including, possibly, coming to Pittsburgh to fill the role of No. 1 center someday?

"I don't know. ... Mario's still there, right?" Staal said, laughing. "Him and Francis ... they're both pretty good players."

Tomorrow: Marc-Andre Fleury