Marc Staal might be hanging up his skates, but he’s not saying goodbye to hockey.
The 37-year-old defenceman from Thunder Bay, Ont., retired Thursday after playing over 1,100 games and 17 years in the NHL and will join the New York Rangers as a player development assistant.
Staal was drafted in the first round, 12th overall, by the Rangers in 2005 and spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the club.
He also played with the Detroit Red Wings for two years followed by a season each with the Florida Panthers and Philadelphia Flyers.
Staal registered five points (one goal and four assists) in 35 games with the Flyers this past season and was an unrestricted free agent.
He finishes his career with 234 points (53 goals and 181 assists) in 1,136 games.
His older brother, Eric, retired on July 30 after signing a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. Younger brother Jordan serves as captain of the Hurricanes.