Marc Staal retires after 17 seasons

Veteran defenseman Marc Staal is hanging up his skates after a career spanning nearly two decades.

Staal is joining the New York Rangers as a player development assistant, the club announced Thursday. The 37-year-old played the first 13 of his 17 seasons with the Blueshirts, who drafted him 12th overall in 2005.

The younger brother of Eric (who retired at 39 last month) and the older brother of Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan (who'll turn 36 on Tuesday) played 1,136 games in his own right. Marc spent last season with the Philadelphia Flyers, collecting a goal and four assists while averaging a career-low 13:49 of ice time over 35 games.

He played the 2022-23 campaign with the Florida Panthers, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final, after playing two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Staal also got to the championship round with the Rangers in 2013-14 when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings.

The grizzled blue-liner was never known for his offense, but he logged heavy minutes early in his career. Staal averaged 25:44 with New York in 2010-11 and 23:08 in the previous season.

Staal collected 53 goals and 181 assists in the regular season during his career, adding seven tallies and 13 helpers in 128 playoff games.

He also won back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2006 and 2007.

He's the second-oldest of the four Staal brothers (including Jared, who played two NHL games in 2012-13), the only defenseman among them, and the only one to never play for the Hurricanes.