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New York Rangers: Just how bad is Marc Staal?

By Nicholas Zararis

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 07: New York Rangers Defenceman Marc Staal (18) carries the puck in the first period during the game between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers on April 07, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 07: New York Rangers Defenceman Marc Staal (18) carries the puck in the first period during the game between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers on April 07, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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New York Rangers
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 05: MSG Networks hockey broadcaster Stan Fischler poses with John Tavares /

Marc Staal

Starting with the Ranger’s resident albatross of a contract, Staal played in 72 games this past season and posted just eight points. Going beyond his conventional counting stats, Staal’s numbers get even more unsightly. This past season, Staal posted a Corsi for percentage of 43.1, meaning that when he was on the ice, the Rangers generated only 43.1% of the shots in the game.

Using Corsi relative, a stat which measures an individual player’s Corsi in relation to the rest of the team, Staal looks even worse. The New York Rangers finished as the worst Corsi team in the entire league, so Staal being -4% is almost unfathomable. Using Corsi, there is a serious argument that the Rangers would have been better off rolling with five defenseman during this past season.

Of the 12 defenseman that the team used at various points last season, Staal finished only ahead of Rob O’Gara. At this point, the Staal contract is a ticking time bomb waiting to be bought out or fall victim to new rules following the 2020 CBA negotiation. It’d be one thing if Staal generated possession without conventional counting stats, but Staal does neither and doesn’t pass the eye test either.

The now 31 year old defenseman is a clunky and slow skater that is prone to turning the puck over when faced with the slightest bit of pressure.

Using CJ Turtoro’s zone  entry and exit stats paints a stark picture of just how bad in his own end Staal is.  Staal only successfully exits the zone 17% of the time when he carries the puck. If the defenseman cannot transition to offense he is hindering his team’s ability to create scoring chances.

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