There are just some contracts that you can see coming. Did anyone really think that Glen Sather would actually trade Dan Girardi? Honestly? That answer became a resounding “no” this evening as Girardi was signed to a six-year extension worth $33 million. This works out to $5.5 million per year.
Now the interesting part is there is a clear division in opinions on Girardi. Bluntly, he is a stay-at-home defenseman with some upside offensively. Cap hits like this have to be tempered by the fact that there will be at least a six to seven million dollar cap increase for the 2014-15 season. That would be about an 11 percent increase (give or take) on the higher end.
Girardi’s point total plateaued in the 2010-11 season with 31 points but many will argue his best overall season was a year later. He amassed 29 points, was a +13, and was one of the main defensive stalwarts in a New York Rangers playoff run that resulted in an Eastern Conference Finals berth. The Rangers defenseman made $3.325 million this year.
Fantasy Hockey Red Flags?
There are some definite concerns with Girardi as he approaches the age of 30. The NHL is a grueling league and the position he plays and the sacrifices he makes take a toll. The contract extension keeps him in New York until almost his 36th birthday. What could he have left in the fantasy hockey tank? This year he has just 17 points in 60 games which would project to 23 or 24 points. That is not bad but some pundits think a more wide open style of play has caused Girardi more stress. Early in the year that was especially true though Girardi has improved some since then.
People see what has happened to Anton Volchenkov of the New Jersey Devils. Volchenkov signed a six-year deal closer to his apex and in a relatively short time went from a top four defender to a barely hanging to the sixth slot. The league is getting faster and faster. Can Girardi keep up? It is an excellent question.
Once upon a time, Girardi fired more shots on net. This year, that has regressed as well. Let’s take a quick look at the last two years.
- 2012-13 — 1.76 shots/game
- 2013-14 — 1.17 shots/game
By the way, his career average is 1.45 shots per game. It is kind of ironic that in the John Tortorella system, Girardi was more effective offensively. There are times where he seems almost afraid to play more offensively. Is it because defensively, he is a little more of a liability than in years past? Is the last season and a half more of a blip on the radar screen?
The jury is out. He does seem to play better with Ryan McDonagh and that makes a lot of sense. Overall, Girardi will continue to log a ton of minutes but expect them to be sheltered gradually as his abilities regress. His fantasy upside lies in blocks and hits more than points at this time. The maximum points a year upside is around 24-28. Let’s see what happens.
