Tortorella unsure of Staal's return

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, continuing treatment for concussion-related headaches, won't practice this week or face the Islanders Saturday, and it appears that the All-Star defender won't accompany the team when it leaves Sunday for a four-game trip to Western Canada.

"He won't be here," John Tortorella said Monday after the Rangers (0-0-2) skated for the first time after their exhausting 12-day European sojourn. "Marc continues to go through his whole situation with his doctors. Someday, Marc comes in and we're going to prepare him the best we can to play a game. I'm not going to get into how long or how short.''

Staal, 24, who suffered a concussion Feb. 22 and began experiencing headaches during workouts during the summer, did not scrimmage, play in any preseason games or join the team on the flight to Europe on Sept. 26. He skated twice before AHL Whale practices in Connecticut but was placed on injured reserve last Thursday.

Staal has received acupuncture treatments on his neck and at least one cortisone injection. Tortorella said Monday that two days ago, trainer Jim Ramsay reported that Staal "was feeling good."

The Rangers want him to be symptom-free before he joins the lineup, and it would not be a surprise if he does not dress for the team's home opener Oct. 27 against the Maple Leafs, the eighth game of the season.

In his absence, the task of defending the opposition's top lines has fallen to Staal's defensive partner, Dan Girardi, and second-year blueliner Ryan McDonagh. Girardi logged more than 30 minutes against both the Kings and Ducks in Stockholm. "It's not ideal," Tortorella said, "but he can do it."

McDonagh, who last season played on the second pair with Michael Sauer (who missed practice with a sore right shoulder), logged 26:41 and 26:59 on consecutive nights. In the Ducks game, Girardi and McDonagh matched up against Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, considered the NHL's most potent line.

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"They're scary: big, fast, skilled . . . It's a good feeling when you keep them off the scoreboard," said McDonagh, who closed gaps in the neutral zone to keep the trio from flying in. "Danny calms you down, keeps you focused. He's a pretty simple player and he's very vocal, always has his head up. He's letting me know if I've got time or have a guy on me. But every team has good lines; it's a matter of doing it every night."

Without Staal for the near future, that shapes up as a major challenge for both McDonagh and Girardi.