New York Rangers: 5 personnel decisions that must be made before the draft

Buying Out Marc Staal

Marc Staal, a long time Rangers’ defenseman and assistant captain, should be bought out of his contract this summer.

The Marc Staal situation is extremely similar to the Dan Girardi situation the Rangers had last summer. Like Girardi, Staal is a veteran presence on the blue line who provides leadership and guidance to younger players. Also similar to Girardi, Staal’s play has been declining as of late and it is, unfortunately, time to part ways.

Staal is simply being affected by father time. He can no longer play on the top defensive pairing and easily shut down the competition. Unfortunately, he is being put in a place where he can’t succeed. Alain Vigneault continuously puts him against players he cannot keep up with, thus also making Staal appear worse. He would benefit from resting every couple of games and swapping out with say, Tony DeAngelo, but that is not the case.

What would a Marc Staal buyout mean for the Rangers?

Overall, it would allow the Rangers to have more cap space. Staal is signed to a $5.7 million contact through to the 2020-2021 season. When/if the Rangers buy him out, they will be left with nearly six million dollars in space. This will free up more space to re-sign the long list of players in need of contracts this upcoming offseason.

A Marc Staal buyout would absolutely affect the team from a leadership and personal standpoint. However, it is time for the Rangers to part with him and other long-term Rangers on the team in preparation for a fresh start and future.