Scratch one of the names off the NHL trade bait list, as reports have surfaced that the New York Rangers have agreed on a six-year extension with Dan Girardi, worth $33 million. The deal breaks down to have an AAV or Cap hit of $5.5 million per season. Girardi was scheduled to become a free agent on July 1st.
In addition, ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun reports the contract includes a full no-movement clause in the first three years and a modified no-trade clause in the final three.
The 29-year-old Girardi has spent his entire eight-year NHL career with the Rangers. He was undrafted but signed as a free-agent with the team after playing for the Guelph Storm in the OHL. In 548 career games, he has scored 35 goals and 136 assists for 171 career points. This season Girardi has four goals, 13 assists for 17 points in 60 games with New York.
Girardi is an effective two-way blue liner, who plays big minutes for New York, often being matched up against the other team’s top line. He is a gritty and physical defender and also a good shot blocker. At the offensive end Girardi can be a good secondary powerplay type of option.
The Rangers were rumored to be shopping Girardi if they could not agree to an extension before the NHL trade deadline of March 5th.
The following statement was released on the Rangers Website:
“Dan (Girardi) has been a Ranger for his entire career, signing with us as an undrafted free agent and working his way to become a top defenseman in the NHL,” said Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather. “His dedication to this club, as a leader both on the ice and in the locker room, is invaluable to this team. We are happy to have been able to ensure that he will continue to wear the Blueshirt.”
The move means that the Rangers cap crunch will likely force them to trade captain Ryan Callahan. He is also a free agent, and is looking for a huge contract, upwards of $6 million per season according to some reports. The Rangers will want to move him if a deal can not be reached before March 5th, and one seems unlikely at this point given his demands, and the Rangers projected cap space in 2014-15.
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