The New York Rangers have opened training camp, with head coach Alain Vigneault emphasizing the competition for ice time on his blue line.
Among those vying for minutes? Veteran defender Marc Staal, who has played in 689 career NHL games, turned 30 years old in January and is currently the second highest paid player on the Rangers’ defense, with an annual cap hit of $5.7 million.
He still has four years remaining on that deal, which includes a no-movement clause, per CapFriendly.
The Rangers have undergone significant changes throughout the roster this offseason. On defense, they bought out Dan Girardi while Kevin Klein moved on from his NHL career. They signed free agent defender Kevin Shattenkirk and acquired 21-year-old Anthony Deangelo as part of the Derek Stepan trade with Arizona.
After an impressive first full year on the Rangers roster, Brady Skjei could also take on a larger role this season and former KHLer Alexei Bereglazov, who signed with New York in the spring, could challenge for minutes with the NHL club.
The Rangers will also have college free agent signing Neal Pionk at camp, and he could contend for a spot, as well. He’s certainly aiming to make the roster, and the fact he’s a right-handed shot may add further appeal.
So, there is plenty of competition on the Rangers’ blue line.
“It would be safe to say there are a few guys for the first time in a long time -- Marc being one of them -- that are fighting for ice-time, fighting for a spot on the team,” Vigneault told reporters, per The Sporting News.
“If we decided to bring Marc Staal back, it’s because we believe in him. I like Marc Staal, I believe in Marc Staal, but at the end of the day he’s fighting for a spot, and he knows it. Nick was a real effective player for us last season, both offensively and defensively, but it’s a new season for everybody. His play will dictate how much he plays, and that’s probably the same for everybody at this point.”
Fellow 30-year-old Rangers defenseman Nick Holden also found his name in the trade rumor mill this summer.