The Rangers’ Marc Staal dilemma

Marc Staal’s future could have a huge influence on the Rangers competitiveness.

It’s amazing the difference one dominant performance can make. Prior to the Pens game I was ready to criticise Marc Staal pretty heavily, and all of a sudden he turns out his best performance of the year. However, the point of this post remains. For now.

This year, on a consistent basis, the Rangers have been poor in their own end. Games where the Rangers have been acceptable defensively (such as the Pens game, where the team played well – for the most part – in front of Henrik Lundqvist) have been the exception rather than the rule. Some of this can certainly be attributed to the defensive unit being blown up by injury and suspension but there have been two constants in the line-up in Marc Staal and Girardi.

While Girardi has been inconsistent he has rebounded to some extent. Marc Staal however has been playing at an unacceptable level given his salary expectations and the standards we have come to expect. Make no mistake, Staal has had a few good games this season and really was more like his usual self against the Pens, and he remains a player with tremendous skill and size, but the Rangers need Staal to be much better consistently (key word).

Staal is playing for a new deal and this is something that he isn’t been close to earning so far this season. A player of Staal’s ability (and experience) needs to be a leader, particularly when all the other veterans on the blueline are either out of the line-up or are also under-performing. He has to be a go-to presence for the Rangers. To date, Staal has not been a player the Rangers can rely upon.

This dissatisfaction with Staal isn’t about his lack of large offensive numbers as that has never been an integral part of Staal’s game. This is about being a reliable defensive presence; something that the Rangers have grown to expect from Staal over the years. With his size, positioning and defensive awareness Staal should be at the point in his career where he makes others around him better. So far this year Staal is at best a passenger, and at times he’s been a liability.

Staal’s injury concerns aren’t as much of a concern as they once were. Staal has shown he can once again log big minutes and stay in the line-up but it’s his on-ice performances that are the issue. If he plays like he did against the Pens its not an issue. Nor if he plays like he did before the two game clunker on the weekend just gone. The three game stretch before the Leafs and Oilers meltdowns, Staal was much more in control of his game.

The Rangers do have a dilemma. Staal’s upside is still huge. Despite the injuries and despite his already significant period in the league. Do the Rangers (over) commit to Staal given the paucity of available defensive alternatives this summer and hope he’ll rediscover his form over the long term?, do they move him and risk losing their enviable depth? (when the line-up is at full strength) or do they hope to force down his price and risk losing him for nothing? The Rangers and Staal are clearly approaching a complicated crossroad.

As it stands, Staal still hasn’t justified a new contract. Yet. He represents several significant risks. Yet keeping Staal and having him return to his former All Star standard also represents the Rangers best bet of icing one of the best defensive units in the NHL, IF he regains his form. Lots of ifs, lots of question marks, one major dilemma for the Rangers.