PHILADELPHIA — Rangers general manager Glen Sather expressed optimism regarding Marc Staal’s medical condition, suggesting yesterday that the first-pair, matchup defenseman’s intermittent headaches might not be related to the concussion he sustained in Carolina last Feb. 22.
The Rangers had better hope that the GM’s read is a correct one, for second-pair defenseman Michael Sauer suffered a sprained right shoulder on an early first-period hit in the first period of last night’s 5-3 preseason defeat to the Flyers that will sideline him for “seven days,” according to coach John Tortorella.
The Rangers, who departed for Prague immediately following the match, have nine healthy defensemen on the roster in Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Steve Eminger, Michael Del Zotto, Tim Erixon, Brendan Bell, Dylan McIlrath, Stu Bickel and Blake Parlett.
Free agent Chris Campoli signed yesterday afternoon with Montreal for $1.75 million after weekend discussions with the Rangers during which, The Post has learned, management was talking about a contract for much, much less money.
Former Ranger Paul Mara remains in the mix as a possible free-agent addition, but if the organization truly wanted him, he’d have been offered a contract by now.
“We’ll see how it falls with the guys we’re bringing overseas,” Tortorella said. “We’ll see who steps up and who doesn’t.”
We’ll also discover whether Sather’s evaluation of Staal is reasonably accurate. The GM insisted he “is not concerned” over the alternate captain’s condition.
“Going through the [post-concussion] protocol happened a long time ago; he’s gone through the protocol a couple of times to figure out exactly what it is,” he said.
“There are a lot of things that can cause headaches. You can have migraines, you have a slipped disc, you can have pulled muscles, you can have a hundred different things.
“Trying to diagnose exactly whether it’s a concussion or it’s something else that’s bothering the player, we really have to find that out first [and] that’s been complicated,” said the GM, who is confident that Staal will join the team later this week after going through a few more days of a program designed by medical specialists.
“He’s had MRIs, X-rays, examinations by different people and [the headaches] come and go. It’s not as if you sit at home and have a pounding headache for 24 hours and have to take a migraine pill for it.
“We think we’ve got a handle on it now, so we’re going to know in the next couple of days,” Sather said. “I’m saying I’m not exactly sure [what the cause] is. I’ve heard it may not be [a concussion], but it’s such a fine are of trying to define what’s causing the problem.”
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Immediately following last night’s match, the Rangers departed for Prague, where on Wednesday they will play first of four exhibition matches in Europe before opening the season in Stockholm with matches on Oct. 7 vs. the Kings and Oct. 8 against the Ducks.
The Rangers, who sent Andre Deveaux and Andreas Thuresson to the AHL Whale following last night’s match, will make a handful of cuts to the roster that includes 19 forwards on Saturday after matches in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Thursday and Gothenberg, Sweden, on Saturday.
“It’s going to be great for me to play in my homeland,” Marian Gaborik told The Post of the game in Bratislava. “It’s in a brand new rink [in Bratislava] where they played the World Championships [and] I’m looking forward for everyone to enjoy it.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun for me. It’s going to be very, very exciting.”
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Brad Richards, on whether the Winter Classic will be a stage for the Rangers: “I’m sure it will be, but to tell you the truth, I’m going to be a little bit selfish with my answer and say I’m really happy to get the opportunity to play in one. Everyone I’ve talked to who’s played in one has enjoyed it, so it’s going to be pretty neat to be able to say I’m going to be in one.”
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Jaromir Jagr scored two power-play goals for the Flyers last night at 4-on-3 and 5-on-3.
“Being away from the NHL for three years, this is something I have to get used to again,” No. 68 told The Post. “So far, so good, I’m happy. This is a great organization, like the Rangers. The team is like a family.”
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Wojtek Wolski, originally scheduled to play last night, was scratched with a groin problem. Carl Hagelin got the call in his place. . . . Thuresson, John Mitchell and Brian Boyle scored for the Rangers. . . . Henrik Lundqvist went the distance in the match Philadelphia sealed with an empty-netter.
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Philadelphia’s Tom Sestito is facing a suspension sure to be in double digits after smashing the Rangers’ Deveaux into the boards from behind at 7:52 of the first. Sestito got a major for boarding plus a game misconduct.
“Shanny should have a field day,” said Tortorella, referring to league VP Brendan “The Sheriff” Shanahan.