Player Discussion: Dan Girardi

[LightningStrikes]

Since #5 Jason Garrison shaved his beard he's been pretty solid!

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Since #5 Jason Garrison shaved his beard he's been pretty solid!

He's also a righty now that's weird

 

[More 2004]

Still waiting for this guy to be terrible.. he played with lingering injuries last season, I wonder if that's all there was to it.

 

[Sky04]

Still waiting for this guy to be terrible.. he played with lingering injuries last season, I wonder if that's all there was to it.

I'm sure there's some truth to him being awful, I mean some of those clips and whiffs are Carle-lite but I wonder if the guy felt pressured playing in that role and that often. And a change of scenary out of the NY media does help.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

I humbly bow at the altar of Yzer. (And seriously shake my head at NYR.)

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I thought that people were saying the reason he was playing poorly was he was playing injured.

2015-16 season he struggled playing through a cracked kneecap.

Last season he had a few minor injuries here or there, but nothing major. He usually rarely misses a game. He's probably always injured because thats the game he plays with blocking shots and battling with forwards, but usually will play through it. Last season the Rangers didn't let him play though the minor injuries he sustained during the season, that was the first time they've done that, which was early writing on the wall they wanted to get rid of him.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Rangers fan here who is one of the few (if any others?) that absolutely loves Girardi. If the Rangers can't win it all, I'm pulling for you guys because Cally and Girardi are two of my all time favorite players (that, and I have the biggest man-crush on Kucherov. Top 5 winger in the game, easily - maybe even number one right now).

Glad to hear Dan is playing well for you guys in a proper (i.e., 3rd pairing with PK time) roll. I'm convinced that he can be a contributing member of a cup winning team, even now in his "old age".

 

[Leonardo87]

Rangers fan here who is one of the few (if any others?) that absolutely loves Girardi. If the Rangers can't win it all, I'm pulling for you guys because Cally and Girardi are two of my all time favorite players (that, and I have the biggest man-crush on Kucherov. Top 5 winger in the game, easily - maybe even number one right now).

Glad to hear Dan is playing well for you guys in a proper (i.e., 3rd pairing with PK time) roll. I'm convinced that he can be a contributing member of a cup winning team, even now in his "old age".

Started to follow this team because of the Cally trade but have fallen in love with the entire franchise. Watching guys like Stamkos and Kucherov are loads of fun. It has also been nice to see Stralman, Boyle (Miss him), and now Girardi here finding success. None of this happens without that trade. Sucks the Rangers are a mess now. Because I do enjoy following both teams .

 

[The Macho King]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/hock...s-dan-girardi-the-human-shot-stoppper/2342276

An (not particularly good) article on Girardi.

"I guess I'm like the worst guy for all these analytics," he said. "I don't much care. I'm a team-first guy. I'm going to keep it really simple. I'm going to try to do all the little things right, make that first pass a good one, get in the lane and block that shot, finish my check, try to get the boys going."

 

[Chimpradamus]

I don't even know what you try to reach here. Would Girardi be fine in NY as a 3rd pairing defenseman? Yes, probably, especially if the moron coach didn't play a man to man defense. Then it doesn't matter as much if you can't skate or pass the puck.

But you try playing a 3rd pairing defenseman @ $5,5m. Of course he was overpaid and overplayed, Vigneault had him on the frigging first pairing for god's sake and made McDonagh suffer for so many years. The buyout must've been as much with forcing Vigneault to play someone else, as to getting rid of Girardi's overpayment. Girardi being unable to handle a puck with any quality has nothing to do with his injuries, but they sure made him even slower.

 

[DFC]

He's been a huge upgrade over Sustr. That's all we really care about.

 

[eco's bones]

Another Rangers fan here---some people rely a little bit too much on the fancy stats. Girardi always got the toughest assignments and the most pk time. He could play physical but he stayed out of the penalty box. One of the bigger drawbacks to his game is he's not a great skater--he's more of an old school player. And a couple years ago he played almost the entire year on a really bad knee.

All things considered though his cap hit and his ability to keep pace which in the Rangers defensive scheme--more of a man on man than a zone--left him exposed a lot and that pretty much sealed his fate in New York. To me it's what it is. I thought that with another coach, another team he might rebound and looks like Tampa is a good place for him.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Girardi is a definite upgrade over Sustr and has proven to be a solid third pairing/minutes & PK defenseman for us. Since Coburn is showing greater speed this season than in the last couple, the pairing of him with the slower Girardi actually seems to be working pretty well so far.

 

[DFC]

We're one of very few fanbases who doesn't absolutely hate our third pairing. That's a luxury.

 

[Leonardo87]

#intangibles

 

[Leonardo87]

Here is the full story on Girardi..

https://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/dan-girardi-rangers-tampa-bay-lightning-1.14726530

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

well he has not been as advertised but I expected that and voiced it. He can keep it simple and make good plays and he really has an active stick and blocks shots... nothing fancy hope he gets at least one goal this year lol but ok with coby

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[Bolt 45]

Happy for him. Seems like a genuinely good guy.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Good for Dan! He's been a pleasant surprise this season. Sure, expectations were as low as it gets but he's actually been solid in his role. His skating is more or less nonexistent nowadays but he makes up for it with good positioning. You won't see him act cute with the puck, just simple passes or puck clears. Also, his body must be black and blue all over with the number of shots he blocks. Warrior.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Way to go Danny. Big smile on my face seeing that he scored.

 

[The Macho King]

Good for Dan! He's been a pleasant surprise this season. Sure, expectations were as low as it gets but he's actually been solid in his role. His skating is more or less nonexistent nowadays but he makes up for it with good positioning. You won't see him act cute with the puck, just simple passes or puck clears. Also, his body must be black and blue all over with the number of shots he blocks. Warrior.

He does more good than I expected in the offensive zone. Not that he's an offensive catalyst by any stretch, but he feels comfortable getting involved and makes solid plays on the wall to keep the puck in. He picks his spot well.

Basically, him and Sustr have comparable skills, but Girardi has actual hockey IQ while Sustr just... doesn't.

 

[xteesy]

He does more good than I expected in the offensive zone. Not that he's an offensive catalyst by any stretch, but he feels comfortable getting involved and makes solid plays on the wall to keep the puck in. He picks his spot well.

Basically, him and Sustr have comparable skills, but Girardi has actual hockey IQ while Sustr just... doesn't.

That's the big reason why I like the guy. Literally haven't seen a play where he intentionally made a "stupid" play. Don't get me wrong, he's got caught a few times but even the best in the world do that. I'd honestly say I've seen Hedman make more "dumb" mistakes than him this season.

But if we're comparing him to the giraffe, man.... I sit there wondering "What the hell possibly went through your head to make you think that was a good idea?"

Shit even I wouldn't make a play like that in beer league hockey because I realized how absolutely stupid it was...

Here's to hoping we waive Sustr and make sure Dan can play the rest of the year with KK or someone else that isn't 6'8"!

 

[VoluntaryDom]

That's the big reason why I like the guy. Literally haven't seen a play where he intentionally made a "stupid" play. Don't get me wrong, he's got caught a few times but even the best in the world do that. I'd honestly say I've seen Hedman make more "dumb" mistakes than him this season.

But if we're comparing him to the giraffe, man.... I sit there wondering "What the hell possibly went through your head to make you think that was a good idea?"

**** even I wouldn't make a play like that in beer league hockey because I realized how absolutely stupid it was...

Here's to hoping we waive Sustr and make sure Dan can play the rest of the year with KK or someone else that isn't 6'8"!

or just keep dan with Coburn...

 

[Steazy Doo]

My take is Foote needs 2 years before he's ready, this bridges the gap till then. It also probably means Sergachev is in junior next year or brought along real slowly and has to beat out Koekkoek and Sustr for ice time. If he outplays both we look to move them for something during the year.

Our top 4 should be Hedman - Dotchin, Coburn - Stralman both those units have really good advanced stats when together. The bottom pair is a mix of the other 4 guys, nothing wrong with depth and competition.

Good post.