from Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News,

Marc Staal remains unsigned to a long-term contract extension with NHL training camp just eight days away, but the Rangers defenseman’s agent told the Daily News on Wednesday morning that he has had substantive discussions with the club toward that end.

“We have had some productive discussions with the Rangers with the goal being to secure a long-term extension for Marc,” Paul Krepelka of The Orr Hockey Group wrote in an email to the Daily News.

The Rangers had no comment.

Staal, 27, is entering the final season of a five-year, $19.875 million contract, but he has said on multiple occasions that he would prefer to sign a new deal before the 2014-15 season begins. He watched negotiations between teammates Henrik Lundqvist and Dan Girardi and former teammate Ryan Callahan become distractions last season, and Staal doesn’t want to repeat that process.

continued