The thirty-eight year old Roman Hamrlik was claimed off waivers Mar. 6 and now joins the blueshirts.

The move was in response to Marc Staal getting injured in the Rangers last game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bringing in a player like Hamrlik will bring some veteran leadership that the Rangers have been lacking on the young defensive end.

There’s no question that losing Staal will cause a little bit of an impact for the Rangers defensive rotation. Though, John Tortorella has done a great job all season pairing together the right lines in the right situations.

Incorporating Hamrlik into the rotation will be a fast one and he’ll benefit from being surrounded by a ton of young and talented defensemen.

His experience in the league will hopefully bring some jump and discipline to the Rangers defensively and keep them on track while Staal is out of the lineup.

Hamrlik also has something to prove after being dropped by the Washington Capitals this season by showing he’s still got the skills to play at his age.

The one stat that’s intriguing is that 14 out of the 16 seasons he’s been in the league the team he’s played for has gotten into the playoffs. Those odds might work in the Rangers favor.