The New York Rangers will have one less worry when they open NHL training camp Friday.

Top defenceman Marc Staal agreed to a new contract Wednesday, a five-year deal worth $19.875-million US. The Rangers owned his rights for the next four seasons under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Staal, 23, will earn $3.1 million this season, $3.675 million in the next season and $3.775 million, $3.875 million and $5.450 million in the final three years of the deal.

He led all Rangers defencemen with a plus-11 rating in 82 regular-season games in 2009-10. A restricted free agent, Staal also ranked first on the team with an average ice time of 23 minutes seven seconds, a career high.

The Thunder Bay, Ont., native is coming off a campaign in which he established career highs in goals (eight), assists (19) and points (27).

The 27 points is a 12-point improvement from the previous season for Staal, who is entering his third NHL season and has played 202 consecutive games, including the playoffs, dating back to Feb. 19, 2008.

Internationally, Staal has represented Canada in several tournaments, most recently at the world hockey championship in Germany in the spring.

He collected an assist and finished second on the Canadian squad with a plus-two rating in seven contests.

In 2006 and 2007, the six-foot-four, 210-pound Staal captured back-to-back gold medals at the world junior championship.