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Rangers acquire Staal from Hurricanes

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Trading for Staal came at the price of a second-round pick in 2016 and 2017 in addition to Finnish prospect Aleksi Saarela.

The 31-year-old Staal will leave one brother, Jordan, to join another, defenseman Marc, in New York.

"One of the things we wanted to do was add to our team," Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton said in a statement.

"Our team is playing well and has played well for the past few months so we wanted to add some help in this one area. We're bringing in a player we really like, one that can add to our group in a lot of ways, that has won, and is still a young player. He gives us an added dimension to make us a better hockey team and a tougher team to beat.

"He's been an elite centre in the game. He's done a lot in the game, played with a lot of great players. I just think all of his experiences will help us. We're looking at a player who can be energized by this trade. We are going to get a lot out of him."

Staal, who has spent his entire 12-year NHL career with the Hurricanes, had to waive his no-move clause to accept the deal.

He will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer when the final season of his seven-year, $55.75million contract ends.

Despite scoring more than 30 goals five times in his career, Staal has managed only 10 goals and 33 points in 63 games this season.

Staal is in the midst of his least productive season since his rookie campaign in 2003-04 when he logged 11 goals and 31 points in 81 games.

Nonetheless, Staal remains the Hurricanes' all-time leader in games played (909), goals (322), assists (453), points (775), hat-tricks (13), penalty minutes (674), power-play goals (105), short-handed goals (16) and game-winning goals (47) since the team moved to North Carolina in 1997.

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