Editing Eric Staal (section)

==Early life==
Staal was born in [[Thunder Bay]], [[Ontario]], the son of [[sod]] farmers Henry and Linda Staal. All four of his grandparents were [[Dutch people|Dutch]] immigrants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://frankkuin.com/en/2007/02/26/staal-bros/|title=Hockey's Staal brothers powered to NHL stardom by Dutch soup {{!}} Correspondent Frank Kuin|website=frankkuin.com|access-date=July 3, 2017}}</ref> He started playing hockey at the age of four,<ref name=thn>{{cite magazine| url = http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/24543-Eric-Staal.html | title = Eric Staal Q&A | magazine = [[The Hockey News]] | date = March 22, 2009 | access-date = March 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201195556/https://thehockeynews.com/articles/24543-Eric-Staal.html|archive-date=February 1, 2014}}</ref> and along with learning how to operate farming tools he played in a home ice rink with his [[Staal brothers|three younger brothers]].<ref name=espn>{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3723745 | title = Linda and Henry Staal are raising a family of hockey stars | publisher = [[ESPN]] | date = April 16, 2009 | access-date = April 16, 2009}}</ref> His idols growing up were forwards [[Joe Sakic]] and [[Wayne Gretzky]].<ref name=bio/> Staal took his jersey number 12 from what his father wore when he played hockey for the [[Lakehead Thunderwolves]] from 1978 to 1983.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite web| url = http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/where-hockey-players-grow/article780241/?service=mobile | title = Where hockey players grow | work = [[The Globe and Mail]] | date = May 16, 2010 | access-date = May 16, 2010}}</ref>