There's also the fact that Staal was playing on lines with players like Malkin and Recchi behind the Art Ross winning Crosby (as well as getting PP time with him). Although his rookie season 7 short handed goal record was impressive it's a bit easy to look back in retrospect and think playing with one of the best players of his generation behind the best player of his generation and having one of the highest scoring players of all time on your line might not have been a terrible position for Staal to be in. In fact it's about as good of a situation a rookie could be in.
On the other hand Monahan is playing with Colborne.
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