Rangers Trade Marc Staal

The New York Rangers announced today that the team has traded Marc Staal and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.
"Marc Staal has been an exemplary hockey player, teammate, and person from the moment he joined the New York Rangers organization," Rangers President and Alternate Governor John Davidson said. "A consummate professional, Marc's perseverance and dedication to the game made him such an integral part of our organization. Marc, his wife Lindsay, and his children Anna, Emily, and Jack will always be a part of the Rangers family, and we wish them all the best going forward."
"I would like to thank Marc for everything he has given to the New York Rangers during his 13 seasons with the team," Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton said. "The success we had throughout Marc's tenure, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, would not have been possible without his tireless efforts on and off the ice. The respect we have for Marc is immeasurable, and we wish him and his family all the best."

Staal skated in 892 career games with the Rangers over 13 seasons (2007-08 - 2019-20), registering 43 goals and 145 assists for 188 points, along with a plus-46 rating and 432 penalty minutes. He ranks sixth on the franchise's all-time games played list, trailing only Harry Howell (1,160), Brian Leetch (1,129), Rod Gilbert (1,065), Ron Greschner (981), and Walt Tkaczuk (945). Staal played in 471 games which the Rangers won throughout his tenure, which is the third-most for any player in franchise history; the only players who appeared in more games which the Rangers won are Leetch (515) and Gilbert (487). Staal appeared in a game in three different decades with the Rangers (2000's, 2010's, 2020's), and he is one of seven players in franchise history who have appeared in a game with the Rangers in three different decades, along with Frank Boucher (1920's, 1930's, 1940's), Tkaczuk (1960's, 1970's, 1980's), Greschner (1970's, 1980's, 1990's), Leetch (1980's, 1990's, 2000's), Mike Richter (1980's, 1990's, 2000's), and Henrik Lundqvist (2000's, 2010's, and 2020's).
During Staal's tenure with the Rangers, the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14, advanced to the Eastern Conference Final three times in a four-year span (2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15), and won 10 different playoff series. In addition, he helped the Rangers finish in first place in their division twice during the regular season (Atlantic Division - 2011-12; Metropolitan Division - 2014-15) and finish with the best record in the NHL during the regular season in 2014-15, as the Blueshirts established single-season franchise records with 53 wins and 113 points. He helped the Rangers advance to the postseason 10 times in his 13 seasons, and he is one of only 10 players who have appeared in a postseason game in 10 or more years with the Rangers in franchise history (along with Ron Greschner, Henrik Lundqvist, Frank Boucher, Rod Gilbert, Dan Girardi, Ott Heller, Ching Johnson, Murray Murdoch, and Walt Tkaczuk).
Staal served as one of the Rangers' alternate captains for 10 seasons (2010-11 - 2019-20). Since the Rangers/NHL began to have players wear an 'A' on their jersey as an alternate captain during the 1985-86 season (after not doing so for approximately a decade), he was one of only three players who have either worn a 'C' or an 'A' as captain or an alternate captain with the Rangers for 10 or more seasons. The only other two Rangers who have done so over the span are Brian Leetch (13 seasons - alternate captain from 1991-92 - 1996-97; 2000-01 - 2003-04, and captain from 1997-98 - 1999-00) and Mark Messier (10 seasons - captain from 1991-92 - 1996-97; 2000-01 - 2003-04).
The 6-4, 209-pounder was credited with 1,308 hits and 1,162 blocked shots over his 13 seasons with the Blueshirts. Since the NHL began to track real-time stats at the start of the 1997-98 season, Staal's 1,162 blocked shots are the second-most by a Ranger (trailing only Dan Girardi), and his 1,308 hits are the third-most by a Ranger over the span (trailing only Girardi and Ryan Callahan). Staal also logged 18,394:47 of ice time with the Rangers, which is the most by any Blueshirts skater since the league began to track ice time in 1997-98. He averaged 20:37 of ice time per game with the Rangers, as he averaged more than 20:00 of ice time per game in six of his 13 seasons, as well as more than 19:00 of ice time per game in 10 of those seasons. Staal also posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in nine of his 13 seasons with the Blueshirts.
Staal skated in 107 career playoff games with the Rangers, registering seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points, along with 42 penalty minutes. He is one of only three players (and one of only two skaters) who have appeared in at least 100 career playoff games with the Blueshirts in franchise history (along with Henrik Lundqvist and Dan Girardi). Staal became the fifth defenseman in franchise history to register a playoff overtime goal when he recorded the game-winning goal at 1:35 of overtime in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Washington in 2012. He also recorded the first goal of the game in the Blueshirts' Game 7 win against Ottawa in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2012.
Staal earned several team awards and received several team and league recognitions throughout his time with the Rangers. He represented the Rangers at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, and he established career-highs in points (29), assists (22), and average ice time (25:44) during the 2010-11 season. Staal was twice selected as the Rangers' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy (2012-13 and 2014-15), which is awarded annually to the NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." He was named the winner of the John Halligan Good Guy Award for cooperation with the media in 2013-14 and received the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award as the Rangers' Best Rookie in Training Camp in 2007.
The Thunder Bay, Ontario native was originally selected by the Rangers in the first round, 12th overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.