Look, there’s dialogue between Rangers management and Marc Staal’s representation that is constructive. And talks will continue.
That’s all good.
But even as No. 18’s agent, Paul Krepelka, told The Post on Wednesday afternoon that “we’ve made some progress,” an agreement on a contract extension for the alternate captain is by no means imminent. There remains a substantial gulf between the parties.
In that way — if perhaps only that way — the situation is not dramatically different than the scenarios from a year ago when Henrik Lundqvist, Dan Girardi and Ryan Callahan all entered the season as pending unrestricted free agents.
Lundqvist completed his extension in early December, Girardi just before the trade deadline. Callahan, of course, was traded at the deadline following a breakdown in negotiations that were conducted in a public manner that created a circus atmosphere.
“I’m not giving daily updates, not getting into ‘close or not close,’ ’’ Krepelka said. “The tenor of the talks has been good, so we’ll keep going and keep working on it. There’s certainly no deadline on our part for getting this done.
“If this becomes a distraction at any time for Marc, then we’d have to take another look at it. But it’s all been positive to this point.”
Staal, who will turn 28 in January, is believed to be seeking a six- or seven-year deal in the neighborhood of $6 million per — perhaps somewhat more. The Rangers are believed to be offering the same deal to which they signed Girardi, six years at $5.5 million per — perhaps somewhat less.
In order to reach a deal, both parties will have to compromise.
If Staal — who has suffered significant injuries in each of the last three seasons, including a pair of concussions — remains healthy and hits the open market on July 1, there is little doubt he would be able get his asking price. He would become the best available unrestricted free agent defenseman in years.
But there would be no guarantee he’d get his price from a contender, most of which have cap issues. Carolina and the prospect of playing with his brothers, Eric and Jordan, would of course loom as an option, but Marc has made it clear his preference is to remain in New York.
To do so, he would almost certainly leave money on the table. But an extension — no doubt that would require a meaningful no-move/no-trade clause — signed before or early this season would give him security. Only Staal knows what that would be worth to him.
General manager Glen Sather made it clear last year the Rangers would not allow Girardi and/or Callahan to play out their contracts and get away without return as free agents. It’s not clear the Blueshirts — who, after all, came within three victories of the Stanley Cup last year — would necessarily adopt the same approach with Staal. There is no apparent immediate heir within the system.
Urgency won’t attach itself to the negotiations until, a) either party establishes a deadline for completing an extension; or, b) the March 2 trade deadline approaches.
But there is work to be done and compromise to be made in order to ensure this Blueblood Ranger remains on Broadway.
Progress and mutual respect aside, this is not close to a done deal.