Marc Staal is a career Ranger. His effort on the ice is never in question. Primarily a defensive defenseman, Staal’s role on this team has shifted a bit. As he has aged and the game has changed, he’s shifted from a shutdown defenseman against top opposition to a bottom-four minutes eater. His role is not to score, but to prevent the opposition from scoring and/or generating sustained offense.
Since Staal isn’t a guy that is used to put up points, his 2-9-11 line is basically a bonus on top of his main role. The question then becomes how effective Staal is in that role.