Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He is the older brother of Marc Staal, who is playing for the New York Rangers, Jordan Staal, who is playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Jared Staal, who is playing for the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.

Staal grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He played AAA for the Thunder Bay Kings organization and led his Bantam team to an All-Ontario Championship in 1999-2000. After that season, Staal was selected in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 2000 OHL Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes.

Staal was selected second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, behind number 1 pick Marc-André Fleury. He had played for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL the year before, scoring 98 points in 66 games.

He played his first season in the National Hockey League right after being drafted. In 2004, Staal played in the YoungStars game as part of the 2004 NHL All-Star festivities.

Marc Staal (born January 13, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He is the younger brother of Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, and older brother of Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jared Staal, who plays in the Hurricanes organization. Of the four brothers, Marc is the only defenseman.

Staal grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, ON and was a minor hockey teammate of future NHL'ers Tom Pyatt, Ryan Parent and Taylor Chorney with the Thunder Bay Kings AAA program.

He was selected 2nd overall in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection by the Sudbury Wolves after a solid season with the Minor Midget Kings.

Staal played junior hockey from 2003–2007 for the Sudbury Wolves in the Ontario Hockey League where he was the team's captain, and led the Wolves to their first trip to the OHL finals in 30 years.[1] He was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005 NHL Entry Draft in the 1st round, 12th pick overall.

Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as one of the NHL's premier penalty-killers, both for his strong defensive skills, along with his scoring touch that makes him a threat for shorthanded goals. Staal has 3 brothers, all of whom play professional hockey. Jordan, Jared, Eric, and Marc all play in the NHL/AHL.

Staal grew up playing minor hockey for the Thunder Bay Kings AAA organization. After his minor midget year, Staal was selected in the 1st round (2nd overall) by the Peterborough Petes. He was the second Staal after older brother Eric Staal was drafted second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. After a two-year Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career, in which he won a J. Ross Robertson Cup and appeared in the 2006 Memorial Cup with the Peterborough Petes, Staal was drafted second overall by the Penguins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He made the immediate jump from junior to the NHL after being drafted and set several NHL records in his rookie season, including youngest player to score on a penalty shot, to score two shorthanded goals in one game, to score a hat trick, and the most shorthanded goals by a rookie in one season. Staal was also a Calder Memorial Trophy nominee and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.