Marc Staal excited to bring veteran presence to Red Wings lineup

DETROIT -- This past week was one of the busiest in Detroit Red Wings front office history as the club re-tooled its roster and prospect pool, adding 12 draft picks and eight free agents.

But an under-the-radar move the Red Wings made while the draft hype was building was acquiring veteran defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft from the New York Rangers for future considerations.
The 33-year-old defenseman spent his entire 13-year career with the Rangers, after being the club's first-round pick, 12th overall, in the 2005 NHL Draft.
Staal spoke to the local media on Tuesday for the first time since being acquired by the Wings on September 26 and said he was originally shocked about the news of the trade, but the shock immediately turned to excitement for a new opportunity and a fresh start with another Original Six franchise.
"A lot of the conversation was him trying to relieve the shock of what happened and speaking about things in Detroit and the area," Staal said about his first conversation with Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman. "I've known a lot of guys that have played there that speak very highly of Detroit. So that part of it, I wasn't too worried about.

"I think the next thing was just the opportunity to come in and be a big part of the team and be a guy that's counted on every night. I'm looking forward to that responsibility and playing some of my best hockey."
In 892 career games, Staal has 43 goals, 145 assists and is plus-46. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound blueliner has produced double-digit points in seven of the last eight seasons and has been a mainstay as a top-four defenseman in New York, playing an average of 76 games per season from 2014-2019.
After that initial conversation with Yzerman, Staal said he's not bothered by going from a playoff team to a rebuilding team because of Yzerman's guidance, the Red Wings' tradition and Detroit's talented core in place.
"I feel a lot more comfortable about where the team is heading and going to an outstanding franchise, beautiful new rink and it's an Original Six (franchise)," Stall said. "So I get to go from one great franchise to the next, and I'm excited to be part of that. It's a pretty good situation that I'm walking into."
After allowing veteran Detroit defensemen Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley to seek opportunities elsewhere, Yzerman had some holes to fill on the Red Wings' blue line. Staal's left-handed shot and experience in the locker room served as a perfect replacement.
"The trade accomplishes a couple things," Yzerman said the night of the trade. "One, as part of our rebuilding process, we're trying to add draft picks, prospects, young players and future assets to help us down the line. We're trying to be competitive. We're trying to improve at the same time. In this deal, not only do we get a defenseman who'll go right into our lineup, that plugs a huge hole for us, but we add future assets as well.

"He plugs a huge hole on our D. We have Patrik Nemeth and Danny DeKeyser. Marc Staal fits in nicely on the left side. He's a good, solid defender, good size, he's been in the league a long time, he's a good penalty killer, so he plugs a hole for us on the back end."
Staal said he has tremendous respect for Yzerman and the work he's done as an NHL general manager. The chemistry with his new team is already building, as several of Staal's new teammates and coaching staff have reached out to welcome him to the club, and he said he's ecstatic for the new opportunity.
"They have some very good young players and I've seen the (free agency) signings of the last couple weeks," Staal said. "So I'm coming in there and ready to help this team get better and win games. I'm excited to play somewhere different. I think it's going to be great."