Staal’s Agent: “Marc’s Objective is to Sign a Long-term Deal”
Larry Brooks is reporting that the Rangers and Marc Staal have yet to sit down and discuss an extension this summer.
While that may set off alarms for some and give more justification to the minority that he should be traded (yes, you are a huge minority), there is no need to panic.
Marc Staal’s agent, Paul Krepelka was told by NYR assistant GM, Jeff Gorton that the team’s focus was on the RFA’s first this summer. He told the NY POST:
“Marc’s objective is to sign a long-term deal with the Rangers, and he would like to get it done before the season starts. That hasn’t changed. But we’ll see.”
Krepelka also expects for the two sides to talk soon.
NY has every intention of keeping this blue-line together. Still it has to be at the right price and that number should be around 5.5M. Larry Brooks highlighted the contract the Capitals gave Brook Orpik which was ludicrous but comparable (5.5M AAV). I chose to look at Chicago’s Brent Seabrook (5.8M AAV), and Staal actually falls below both statistically.
As you can see, points per game are below Seabrooks and on par with Orpik. Still, defense has value so where does he stand there?
Considering just how good the Rangers are defensively and how average the Penguins are, I was surprised to see Orpik higher.
Even on the hits and blocks chart, Orpik comes in higher. But of course, Staal will be giving up prime UFA years in this next contract so to assume he will make less than Orpik’s 5.5M AAV would make no sense.
For Marc Staal he wants this done. He told the NY POST:
“The contract situation is definitely something I would like to take care of over the summer. That’s the goal, but it also has to be the way management looks at it, too, in order to get it done.”
We believe it will get done.
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