At the age of 23 with just 4 NHL seasons under his belt, this promising young player has scored a combined 75 goals over the past 2 seasons, notched 100 points in 2006, and was voted into his first All-Star game in 2007. Already a core member of the Hurricanes, Staal led the team in points (28) during their successful 2006 Stanley Cup Playoff run that resulted in a Championship. Aside from his exceptional talent on the ice, Staal is also known as an avid gamer.

“I am a huge fan of the NHL franchise and played NHL 07 fanatically,” said Staal. “I am honored to be named to the EA SPORTS family and the NHL 08 team.”

Eric is the trailblazer in a family rich with hockey legacy; His brothers Marc (NY Rangers, 2005) and Jordan (Pittsburgh, 2006) were also first-round draft picks. His youngest brother, Jared, was drafted in the first round of the 2006 OHL Draft by Sudbury. The Thunder Bay, Ontario natives grew up playing together on an outdoor rink built for them by their father in their backyard. Eric played with his brother Jordan on the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won gold against Finland in Moscow. Younger brothers Marc and Jared are teammates with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves.