That both Girardi and Staal were better this year, especoially in the regular season.
- tomburton99

dont think so

Don't know if they can afford him. Kreider, Hag, Stepan all do for some rather large raises soon.
- Danformo

Kreider is signed for 2 years. But MSL, Zuccs, Hagelin, Talbot, Stepan and Staal all need a raise.

dont think so
- jake24242

Staal is better than Phaneuf too. Do you think Orpik is a better defenseman than Phaneuf? Because that's what you're saying.

dont think so
- jake24242

The minus next to Orpik are bad. The pluses next to Girardi and, specifically Staal are good.

Shall we go into Blocked shots? Because Girardi blocked many more than Orpik. Orpik has the edge on Staal though. How bout the traditional score sheet were both Staal and Girardi held a clear advantage over Orpik.

Don't give him an extension and let him walk to Carolina. The hockey world demands it.

In the end I think this is mostly irrelevant. What Staal brings to the Rangers will not be replaceable in the short term.

Sather might as well throw his best offer on the table today and let Staal choose whether or not to sign it.

1) Carolina will match whatever Sather can afford to pay as will a dozen other teams.
2) Staal has 0 trade value as it is unlikely the Rangers will be sellers at the deadline meaning he can't be a rental. No one will trade for a guy they know they can't sign and Carolina won't pay for a player they know they can get for free.
3) It would simply cost too much to acquire the other 3 brothers from Carolina

In the end the only thing that matters is whether or not Marc wants to play in NY. If so, Sather has no choice but to put forth his best offer bc Marc's agent will have an offer in hand from Carolina to wave around.

All of that said, if I'm Sather, I would lay down a 5yr/$30M offer and tell Marc how much you want him to remain a Ranger. To replace him Sather would have to pay more for a lesser player IMO.

I think the real question here is: "if Sather asked Staal today if he was going to play in NY or Carolina next season and the response was either 'Carolina' or 'I don't know.' should he consider trading him to Carolina now?"

If Sather offered Staal to Carolina now what might they be willing to part with to rent him for this season?

I think the real question here is: "if Sather asked Staal today if he was going to play in NY or Carolina next season and the response was either 'Carolina' or 'I don't know.' should he consider trading him to Carolina now?"

If Sather offered Staal to Carolina now what might they be willing to part with to rent him for this season?
- Maskdman3

Thats the big question. My hope is that Francis wouldn't pull a Rutherford and trade decent pieces for a player who will be a UFA in a year.

Like it not...Staal is gonna make 6 Million per for at least 5 years.

The Ranger fan in me wants to see Staal get resigned. The troll in me wants to see Staal go sign somewhere other than Carolina just to break the hockey world. Seriously, the look on everyone's face when it's announced he didn't do what people have been assuming he'll do for like 3 years now would be priceless.

Look at the stats between the 2 and say that.
- jake24242

God -not that nonsense again.

Thats the big question. My hope is that Francis wouldn't pull a Rutherford and trade decent pieces for a player who will be a UFA in a year.
- ward30nhl

Skinner and he's yours

Skinner and he's yours
- nyrangers9479

That's a joke. I'll give you a Jay Harrison, JML, a prospect and a conditional 3rd rd pick. He's worth far more than that but why would the rangers trade him in the first place, unless he intends on walking at the end of the season.

Sign him for 6x6 right now.

As for the prospects that can step in and replace him...Brady Skjei is the only guy projected to be a top-pairing defenseman in the system but that's risky. He's comparable to Ryan McDonagh which is awesome obviously but I don't know how I feel about letting Staal walk for an unknown.
- rangerdanger94

$6 million for a guy who was carried by $4.5 million Stralman?

The minus next to Orpik are bad. The pluses next to Girardi and, specifically Staal are good.

Shall we go into Blocked shots? Because Girardi blocked many more than Orpik. Orpik has the edge on Staal though. How bout the traditional score sheet were both Staal and Girardi held a clear advantage over Orpik.
- tomburton99

You realize he's just trolling you guys, right? Any person who has watched a game knows Staal is better than Orpik and Girardi/McD are miles better. Coming from a Pens fan, Orpik was terrible last year and made every defender he played with worse. He was slow to begin with but made up for that with a high hockey IQ and good positioning. He lost another step and his other skills can no longer make up it. Washington is going to regret that signing immediately.

Marc will take a little less as a FA to come to Carolina.
- ward30nhl

Sure...some players don't view winning as a priority.

dont think so
- jake24242

What are you high?

You will get one of Mike Green, Paul Martin or Jeff Petry.
- tomburton99

Green isn't available.

disagree

try being non bias to your team and look at it
- jake24242

orpik (frank)ing sucks.

Who said anything about Niskanen i dont think he is very good he had inflated offense with crosby show
- jake24242

Maybe do a little research. While the Pens, as a team, trended down, Niskanen trended up. (And yes, this trend extends beyond last season.)

$6 million for a guy who was carried by $4.5 million Stralman?
- KreiderBomb

What was I thinking??

I actually think Marc Staal feels bad for his brothers that they are stuck in Carolina.

I don't think there is a chance he is going there if he becomes a UFA when there will be a lot of real teams banging on his door.

I actually think Marc Staal feels bad for his brothers that they are stuck in Carolina.

I don't think there is a chance he is going there if he becomes a UFA when there will be a lot of real teams banging on his door.
- jimbro83

I've said it before, I think there's a better shot at Eric coming to NY via trade than there is Marc going to Carolina, they have 14 players signed for next season and roughly $15 million in cap space

disagree

try being non bias to your team and look at it
- jake24242

Its not bias, its common sense. Staal is leaps and bounds more valuable than Orpik, and this is coming from a Devils fan.

Its not bias, its common sense. Staal is leaps and bounds more valuable than Orpik, and this is coming from a Devils fan.
- TheJerseyDevil1

Orpik is one of a few players that received a higher contract at 33 than he did as a free agent at 27, makes no sense what so ever, he was once a good defenseman, now he is on a steady decline and that contract will be an albatross by the end of this season