PITTSBURGH — They are pillars of the Rangers’ community, are the Big Three defense of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, along with the goaltender named Henrik Lundqvist.
They have combined to play 2,001 NHL games and not a single one with any other organization. Bluebloods through and through, Lundqvist since 2005-06, Girardi since midway through 2006-07, Staal since 2007-08 and McDonagh since midway through 2010-11.
Blueshirts now and, well, as close to forever as it gets in pro sports.
For the Rangers made it official following Sunday afternoon’s impressive 5-2 victory over the mistake-prone Penguins in formally announcing the completion of Staal’s six-year, $34.2 million ($5.7 million per) contract extension that will run through 2020-21.
“I’ve had a great time growing up in this organization,” said Staal, the Blueshirts’ first-round draft selection in 2005 at 12th overall after the club traded up four spots in order to grab him. “I have a lot of respect for what we’ve done and a lot of fun winning games with the guys in this room.
“It was the right choice.”
Lundqvist is also in through 2020-21, Girardi through ’19-20 and McDonagh through ’18-19. And with stalwart fourth defenseman Kevin Klein — a Ranger for nearly a year following his acquisition from the Predators for Michael Del Zotto in one of general manager Glen Sather’s neatest heists — under contract through ’17-18, outsiders need not apply for jobs on the blue line or in net.
This connotes mutual commitment and belief in a shared future in the immediate aftermath of a three-year run during which the Blueshirts’ six playoff series victories have been exceeded by only the Kings (10) and otherwise matched only by the Blackhawks.
“It’s not only as teammates, but as friends,” Lundqvist said in reference to his appreciation of his lock-down defense being locked up into the future. “We’ve played together for a long time, and sometimes you take things for granted, but to have the opportunity to play with a core group, it’s very rare.
“We know how we work as people and as players under pressure,” said The King, who seemed unconcerned after suffering a jammed right hand on a goalmouth scramble with 7:53 remaining in the match. “It’s like when I yell at them, they know to block it out.
“You go through so many things in one year, to be together for 10 years, you just know each other and how you will react. I’m very happy for [Marc] and the organization that it worked out. He’s a great defenseman.”
Look, none of the Bluebloods are exactly coming cheap, with Lundqvist at $8.5 million per, Girardi at $5.5 million and McDonagh at $4.7 million. The quartet thus will account for $24.4 million of cap space, and with Rick Nash — who scored twice Sunday to take the NHL lead with 28 goals — at $7.8 million through 2016-17, Derick Brassard in at $5 million through 2018-19 and Derek Stepan looming as a $6 million man when he becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, the Rangers are going to need their young, entry-level guys to produce.
But the core has been identified. The lock-down D has been locked up for the foreseeable future.
Look, none of the Bluebloods are exactly coming cheap … but the core has been identified. The lock-down D has been locked up for the foreseeable future.
“It’s really nice to see and be a part of,” Girardi said. “The Rangers have been really good at keeping the major guys here.
“Obviously you can’t keep everybody,” No. 5 added, more likely than not referencing former captain Ryan Callahan. “But with the four D and Hanky here for the next four years, we’ve got a really good chance to win.”
The Rangers are a strong team, but not perfect. They don’t and won’t have much space with which to maneuver at the deadline. There are significant decisions looming regarding pending free agents Marty St. Louis and Mats Zuccarello and pending restricted free agent Carl Hagelin.
But Sather identified the core and has kept it intact, even if his timetable runs a bit slower than most everybody else’s. (True story: after the second period, Sather was asked whether Staal’s contract was indeed signed and done. The GM’s answer: “Has there been an announcement?”)
The announcement came later, and it was an announcement the Rangers will be in the Blueblood business for years to come. And it was a commitment that cheered coach Alain Vigneault.
“It is huge. There’s no doubt that on top of [his value on defense], Marc is a Ranger through and through and he wanted to be here,” Vigneault said. “For the team, it’s great to see guys who want to stick around.
“He could have looked around [as a free agent] and seen what else was out there, but he wanted to be here. For a guy like myself, it means a lot.”
Bluebloods at the Garden.
Broadway’s longest running show.