New York Rangers Analysis: Updating Marc Staal's Treatment And The Paul Mara Situation
According to Larry Brooks, Marc Staal is undergoing treatment at the University of Buffalo Sports Medicine Institute.
The Post has learned that Staal, who will start the season on injured reserve, has received essentially the same treatment from the physicians at the University of Buffalo Sports Medicine Institute who successfully treated post-concussion headaches that had afflicted the Sabres' Tim Connolly and Patrick Kaleta.
Staal received a cortisone injection in the neck on Sept. 26, the day the Rangers left North America for their preseason European tour. Connolly, who missed nearly all of the 2006-07 season with post-concussion symptoms after missing the entire 2003-04 season for the same reason, has credited his treatment at the Sports Medicine Institute for his recovery.
In addition, Staal next week will undergo more frequent acupuncture treatments. He has not been on the ice since he experienced headaches after skating with the AHL Whale last weekend.
The treatment is obviously for the headaches he has been experiencing since he has increased his workouts to get back into game shape.
Join me after the jump for more.
And while most of what Brooks is reporting isn't news, the information that Staal experienced headaches after skating with the Connecticut Whale is a pretty significant step back in his road to recovery. The Rangers have shut down Staal for the immediate future by placing him on injured reserve, which was expected, but a timetable for his return can't even begin to be created.
Essentially, the Rangers need to wait until Staal stops having headaches, and not even Staal has any idea when that will happen.
The inability to place a finger on his return, however, has opened the door for the plethora of Paul Mara rumors circulating the web. The former Ranger has garnered interest from Sather as a potential replacement to soak up some third-pairing minutes while the Rangers try to navigate the ship without their defensive captain.
The expectations — if Mara is going to sign with the Rangers — is that a contract will be worked out when the Rangers return from Europe. As of right now, rookie-defenseman Tim Erixon, who was recalled from Connecticut yesterday, will be Staal's replacement.
Thoughts on this guys?
