Contract negotiations between the New York Rangers and defenseman Marc Staal have remained amicable - if also stale - thus far this season, with Staal's agent, Paul Krepelka noting recently that "there is nothing new" and that neither side has offered a deadline - yet.
"Talks are open-ended," Krepelka said, according to Larry Brooks of the NY Post. "No deadline has been given as yet, though that's obviously subject to change as we move further into the season."
The soon-to-be 28-year-old Staal will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 should his status remain unchanged. He is reportedly seeking a deal in the range of $6 million per year for six years.
Meanwhile, the Rangers are offering a contract nearly identical to the one defenseman Dan Girardi signed last year: six-years for $32.5 million, or $5.5 million a season, according to the Post.
Brooks notes that, "the offer has not changed in months in talks that have been infrequent at best."
"Staal might accelerate the process by establishing a deadline, but the Rangers could respond to a deadline by initiating trade talks that would send the defenseman out of town by the March 2 deadline," the Post reports. "That course of action by the club presupposes the Blueshirts magically add depth to their blue line."
Adding defensive depth is no small task in an NHL that has continually placed increasingly high premiums on quality blueliners. Staal, a former first round pick who carries serious hockey bloodlines, is a quality player and team leader.
"But Staal, who is plus-one, has had issues in his own end of the ice," teh Post noted. "Of course, essentially everyone did through the first four games. Over the last three matches, all victories, Staal has been more disciplined and better positioned in the defensive zone. But he is still having problems moving the puck quickly to the forwards."
This difficulty moving the puck forward has caught the attention of head coach Alain Vigenault, who, after the team's 4-3 overtime victory over New Jersey on Tuesday, ominously pointed out that "We have a couple of guys who can be better at it."
Whether or not he meant Staal is up for debate. But what is clear is that contract negotiations between the two sides have nearly come to a halt, and continued inaction only leads player and team further away from a resolution.
