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| Marc STAAL (STAHL, MAHRK) |
New York Rangers |
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YOUNGSTER'S CAREER IS FAR FROM STAALED
Grant Kerr writes in the Globe and Mail, "Marc Staal seems comfortable with flying slightly under the radar as he gets far less media attention than two of his brothers did during their NHL rookie campaigns. Maybe having composure at a young age, 20, has something to do with his demeanour. The New York Rangers' defenceman was a remarkable plus-4 for goals scored at even strength when he was on the ice during his first 40 big-league games. His average ice time was 17 minutes 54 seconds. And Staal had more takeaways than giveaways, 21-13. Those are commendable numbers for a first-year professional who was asked last season by the Rangers to play a fourth year of major-junior hockey in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves." |
THERE'S NO STALL IN MARC STAAL'S DEVELOPMENT
Dan Rosen writes on NHL.com, "Marc Staal didn't have to look far for professional advice. Before the New York Rangers' rookie defenseman played even an NHL exhibition game, he had four shoulders to lean on and two brains to pick with brothers Eric and Jordan already immersed in the NHL game and lifestyle. "They talked to him about what to expect and how to handle himself, and I have been impressed all year," said Ranger veteran Jason Strudwick, Staal's road roommate. "To be 20-years-old in the NHL is a pretty exciting time, but it hasn't taken over his life." The same way Eric and Jordan began their careers with solid debut seasons, Marc has done enough through 38 games to prove he belongs, too. The former first-round draft pick has become a mainstay on the New York blue line, earning close to 18 minutes of ice time per game." |
NEWEST STAAL GETS A BIT DEFENSIVE
Dave Molinari, writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Sure, he is one of them. Absolutely. Every bit as much as any of his brothers. The bloodlines and birth certificate prove it. But for all of those undeniable truths, Marc Staal is, well, different. It's not his age because, at 20, he's sandwiched between two other siblings who play in the NHL. And it's not about size because, at 6 feet 4, 204 pounds, he's pretty much a standard-issue Staal. But Staal, a rookie with the New York Rangers, apparently doesn't carry the chromosome that made his brothers – Jordan of the Penguins and Eric of Carolina – into forwards, because he has played defense since youth hockey." |
ROOKIE IS COOL UNDER PRESSURE
John Dellapina writes in the New York Daily News, "Marc Staal came clean yesterday. The Rangers' precocious rookie defenseman admitted that he has been overwhelmed this season. For all of 20 minutes ... Don't get Staal wrong. There isn't a cocky bone in the 20-year-old's body. And he isn't saying that his first five games in the NHL have been easy. But he certainly has made them look that way. And already, it seems reasonable to wonder whether Staal should be elevated from the third defense pairing to Michal Rozsival's partner on the first if Marek Malik continues his second straight October struggle to find his game." |
MARC STAAL STACKS UP AMONG BEVY OF STARS FROM '05 DRAFT
Evan Grossman writes on NHL.com, "When it's all said and done, the 2005 NHL Entry Draft may be among the best in terms of the sheer number of quality defenseman selected that weekend. Only time will tell, and while it's entirely premature to crown the Class of 2005 with any titles or trophies just yet, it's not out of the question that the group one day could be considered among the best. Particularly with defensemen, confidence goes a long way – the more of it you have, the better you play. Staal's getting there, slowly but surely. "Obviously I feel a lot better," he said. "I just feel a lot faster, a lot more stronger and I'm adapting to this game." Like Staal, the Class of 2005 is just getting its feet wet this fall. Staal made his NHL debut with the Rangers and is hoping to establish himself in the big league as quickly and seamlessly as his two brothers have." |
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