Eric Staal and Owen Power: Stronger Together for Canada ice hockey

37-year-old Eric Staal and 19-year-old Owen Power might be at polar opposite points in their ice hockey career, but they share one dream at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

Staal is a Vancouver 2010 gold medallist, right there when Sidney Crosby scored THAT immortal overtime goal against the USA, and is a 'Triple Gold Club' member having won the Olympics, the Stanley Cup, and the World Championships.

Everything that 2021 NHL No.1 Entry Draft pick Owen Power wants to achieve in the game.

“He’s awesome," says Power when Olympics.com ask him what it's like to play with Staal in Beijing.

"Especially for the young guys like myself, he’s huge for us. He’s giving us good advice for this tournament and our careers in the future. He’s a huge part of this team.”

Staal can see a bright future for Power in the game too, saying this after Canada got off to stomping start in Beijing against Germany on Friday 10 February:

“I think his ability to control the play you saw tonight, he’s really walking the offensive blue line and moving pucks, finding lanes, getting chances, he’s got great instincts to know where to be on the ice.

"He’s only going to get better as we continue on in this tournament. He’s going to have a great career ahead of him.”

Eric Staal and Owen Power share Olympic gold dream at Beijing 2022

So with all the noise around being No.1 pick, what advice has Staal given him to handle the hype?

“Just have fun and live in the moment. I mean that’s all. And to be aggressive when I play,” says Power.

The NHL and Olympic veteran is a perfect fit for the leadership role in Beijing.

“I want to be that calming influence," he tells Olympics.com.

"Trying to be that guy that does the right things in certain situations and also being just another one of the guys. It’s been a lot of fun to be with this group and these players.

"The younger guys are a treat to be around everyday. Hopefully I’ll just be another piece to the puzzle to win at the end.”

The Canada-Germany opener didn't feature current NHL heavyweights like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Leon Draisaitl, and Tim Stutzle after they didn't travel due to COVID concerns, as the teams are still stacked at Beijing 2022.

Staal is taking another shot at Olympic gold, and maybe at the NHL too, as he's currently an unrestricted free agent.

And Team Canada team also boasts Power and Mason McTavish, the first and third overall picks at the 2021 NHL draft, alongside a number of NHL-calibre pros plying their trade in Europe.

Canada ice hockey at Beijing 2022: A blend of youth and experience

With the right blend of youth and experience, this Canadian team has come together as a unit and gelled on and off the ice.

The 5-1 win against Germany - the team that dumped them out of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics four years ago in the semi-finals - was a strong opening statement in Beijing.

With five different goal scorers and 12 different players among the points, Canada looked fierce.

“It's our game,” Canadians often say of ice hockey, and even though they left PyeongChang with bronze four years ago, watching the OAR defeat Germany in the final hurt, nationally, and personally.

Now the team has a shared sense of purpose: To take back the gold medal they won at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

Having been together such a short time, how have they managed to click so quickly?

“I think it’s a little bit to do with how we were raised each of us," says Staal.

"When you play hockey it's always about the team and the next guy beside you and we all get along hugely. Most guys have grown up the same way.

"It’s a lot of sacrifice from a lot of different people to give us chances to play the game and when you get an opportunity to play an event like this you don’t take that for granted.

"Our guys are here ready to play for each other and for family back home and that’s what it means for a lot of our guys.”

Owen Power: I can learn from Eric Staal

For Power, it's been a near-perfect start to his Olympic debut.

While he didn't pick up a point against Germany, he had the most ice time of any Canadian - 19 and a half minutes - was industrious on the puck and worked hard for the team, proving that he's going to be central to Canada's push for gold.

“I played the full 60 minutes so a good start for me,” says Power, who's enjoying his Olympic experience.

“It’s been awesome so far. The village is very well done so it’s a lot of fun just hanging around with the guys all the time.

"Seeing athletes from all over the world and all different sports is really cool. We play a lot of board games, a lot of cards with the roommates, and just try and see other events when we can.”

Just being on the ice with a stone-cold legend like Staal is helping him grow too.

“You just watch him play, he’s so smart out there. Just the little things he does, the little habits he has, just the way he uses his brain you can learn so much from.

"Obviously it’s real fun watching him and hopefully I can take some stuff from him.”

Canada are on that golden trail already, and Staal and Power may have the stuff to help take them all the way.