Rangers Could Pursue Jordan Staal PITTSBURGH-Add a new name to the Rangers" wish list: Pittsburgh center Jordan Staal. Reports emerged Thursday night that Staal, who becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, rejected a 10-year contract extension from the Penguins believed to be worth as much as $60 million. The conjecture is that Staal is (a) seeking the kind of top-six ice time he cannot get as a third center behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin; and (b) wants to play alongside his brother Eric in Carolina. General Manager Ray Shero said earlier this week that he wants to keep the Crosby-Malkin-Staal troika together and was not interested in trading Staal, but the rejection of the offer suggests that a trade may have to be in the offing. The Hurricanes are the front-runners in the Jordan Staal derby expected to emerge, but the Rangers have another Staal brother, Marc, and a need for a top-six center. That may put them in the running, though it is a long shot and certainly secondary to their pursuit of Rick Nash and Bobby Ryan.