The Rangers and Dan Girardi agreed to a six-year, $33 million deal to keep the top pair, right-handed defenseman in Gotham City.
The contract is what was reported that Girardi had requested earlier in the season and removes one major pending UFA from the market, solving a possible major headache for the Rangers. New York still has Anton Stralman on the blueline to try and lock up, but re-signing Girardi keeps the team' stop pair of Ryan McDonagh and Girardi intact. If you look at what McDonagh got as an RFA, six years, $27.2 million and compare it to what Girardi got, it's clear that GM Glen Sather got a potential bargain in Mack Truck. G has been a minutes eating, shot-blocking dynamo and losing him would have had a major impact to a team that has played very well lately.
Reports are that Girardi's deal includes a full NMC years 1-3 and limited NTC 4-6, which seems relatively fair given what he has done and meant to the organization. In addition, it provides Girardi some additional security while giving the a Rangers some options down the road if Girardi's style of play has an adverse impact on him as he ages. With Girardi now signed and Stralman possibly next in line on the blue line, NY and Sather should try and lock up Marc Staal before he is a UFA after next season.
The focus now turns back to Ryan Callahan. With the Girardi deal done, the sole focus should be on what will happen with the Rangers' captain. The arguments of keeping him for the remainder of the year regardless on if he re-signs, only keeping him if he is willing to sign a long-term deal or dealing him regardless based on the demands have long been discussed and we have hashed and rehashed it almost to death. There is less than five days to the trade deadline. Sather and the organization need to make a call one way or the other and just stick it to it without setting lines in the sand.
More to come...