Staal (neck), who was cleared for contact Friday, is targeting a return next Thursday on the road against the Canadiens, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Typically, when a player proves that he can withstand contact, it means that he's on the verge of returning to action. Besides, Staal is a veteran who comes from a hockey family, so we're rather confident about the legitimacy of this return timetable that he's established on his own. We assume his status won't matter to many outside of the Big Apple, though, as Staal has just seven points (one goal, six assists) through 50 games this season; he's more of a shutdown type, unlike brothers Eric and Jordan, who slot in at forward for their respective teams.