New York Rangers: 6 players on the bubble for next year’s team

The second longest tenured player on the Rangers is a defenseman from 10 years ago and doesn’t fit the team’s style.

If Marc Staal didn’t have the series of several career-altering injuries it is a true wonder as to what kind of player he might be today. After almost ten full seasons in the NHL, and more than a 100 playoff games, he cannot physically keep up with today’s game. The elephant in the room that NHL teams are still failing to recognize is that a defensive defenseman is a defenseman that can’t contribute on offense.

One dimensional players in a salary cap league have a hard time sticking on. Take former Ranger Brandon Pirri, who’s lone ability is as a power play specialist for example. He has failed to stick on with any team because he has limited functionality even though he has a 20 goal season.  Staal as a defenseman is in the same vein. Anytime the puck comes to Staal’s stick in the offensive zone, the play dies.

What the front office’s plan for next season may ultimately determine if Staal survives the buyout window. The Rangers considered buying out Staal’s contract last summer and instead opted to trade Derek Stepan to free up cap space. If the team plans on taking a full season to rebuild, the veteran defenseman will likely stick around. However, if the plan is to compete next year, Staal is on the fence.

The Rangers have a bevy of young defenseman who could compete for a spot down the left side. This will be another tough pill to swallow in a long line of tough decisions. Giving valuable NHL ice time to a player with limited upside on the wrong side of 30 doesn’t sound like an effective model for a rebuild.