Day: September 15, 2010

The news that we’ve all been waiting for was finally released today. After months of seeming intractable negotiations, the Rangers and Marc Staal have agreed on a five year contract that will pay him an average of $3.975M per year.

The timely signing means that when the Rangers open camp on Friday, they’ll avoid going into camp without one of their core players. The contract makes Staal the third highest paid defenseman on the team, behind Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival, and is a significant raise on the $875K he earned on average from his entry level contract.

The Traverse City Prospects Tournament concluded today, with the Rangers finishing in fifth spot on the back of an impressive 7-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Derek Stepan lead the way for the Rangers in the competition with seven points in four games.

One of the players who benefited from playing alongside Stepan, is the player we focus on in today’s edition of Ranger Countdown: Evgeny Grachev.