Get To Know a Ranger: Dan Girardi

by David Getz on Apr 13, 2009 2:00 PM EDT

[Ed. note: As part of the build-up to the first round playoff series between the Capitals and the Rangers, Japers' Rink will be looking at some of the important but lesser-known players on the Rangers and how they might impact the series.]

Dan Girardi

#5 / Defenseman / New York Rangers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Born: Apr 29, 1984

Birthplace: Welland, Ont., Canada

Draft: None

Acquired: Signed as free agent, July 2006

Strengths	Has a fair amount of offensive ability, which makes him a strong candidate for regular duty on the power play. Also owns good size.
Weaknesses	Needs to use his 6-2 frame more to his advantage, since he tends to struggle against power forwards in front of the net.
Potential	Top four defenseman.

Regular Season	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	GWG	SOG	PCT
2006-07	34	0	6	6	7	8	0	0	33	0.0
2007-08	82	10	18	28	E	14	5	1	147	6.8
2008-09	82	4	18	22	-14	53	2	1	122	3.3

Playoffs	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2006-07	10	0	0	0	-4	4	0	0	0	0	7	0.0
2007-08	10	0	3	3	1	6	0	0	0	0	14	0.0

Why you should know who he is - Girardi isn't the Rangers best offensive defenseman and he isn't the best defensive defenseman - and that's what makes him so important to the outcome of the series. With Marc Staal likely to bear the biggest burden among Rangers defensemen, it's how the Capitals secondary players play against Girardi, and hence how many good scoring chances the team generates against Henrik Lundqvist, that might dictate how much offensive success the Caps have.

How the Caps can stop him - While Girardi does a lot of things well, he's not a dominant player in any particular regard and can be beaten in the right situations by speed, power, or finesse. What the Capitals need to do is keep attacking Girardi in different ways and force him to employ all of his skills. If the Caps can do that, Girardi will break down sooner or later.

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Comments

Jesus, these Rangers have some mortifying head shots.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, when people were commenting on Dubinsky’s I was thinking to myself “wait ’til they see Girardi”.

by David Getz on Apr 13, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions

They didn’t have Avery at the beginning of the season to coordinate a fashion shoot.

Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.

by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 13, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

Either that or Lundqvist put ’em so close to the Handsomeness Cap that they had to grab some fillers on the cheap there.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

How in the world do you have the time for this, DMG?

Awesome.

by DrinkingPartner on Apr 13, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

Planning ahead. It generally takes me several days to do a post, just doing a bit each day.

by David Getz on Apr 13, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s true. He actually started this post when he was still writing Caps Blue Line. Luckily, the Caps drew the Rangers in the first round. Phew!

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

The only thing I know about him is he has an amazing last name and dollar for dollar is a great player playing at a huge value.

by zephyr on Apr 13, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

JP is a slave driver, don’t you know? ;)

Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.

by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 13, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

that was in reply to DrinkingPartner, don’t know how I managed to mess that up.

Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.

by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 13, 2009 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

That needn’t be in response to DP – I’d like to get the word out on that fact. :)

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

JP…It’s Pesach. Time to let the people go.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Good point – and I love my first born male too much to let anything happen.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Girardi isn’t a bad player, but he’s no better than Jeff Schultz, he might even be worse. He’s no Jurcina though.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 13, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

So he might be worse or about equal to our fourth best D-man, but he’s not as good as our worst defenseman? How does this work?

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

On the Caps, he might skate a regular shift as the 5th or 6th defenseman…

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 14, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Schultz might be better defensively, but Girardi is a much better offensive player.

by David Getz on Apr 13, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

True, but neither is really counted on to be an offensive threat from the blue line. If your team’s top offensive d-man is Girardi, you’ll have trouble scoring goals….no suprise, the Rangers do have trouble with that…

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 14, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Does Girardi draw the AO assignment, or does Mara?

"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."

by Bald Pollack on Apr 13, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions

Should be Staal, actually. In the two games at MSG (last line change and all), here’s the rank in ES ice time against AO (under a different coach, of course):

1. Staal (8.9 minutes), Rozsival (7.8), Redden (4.7), Girardi (3.9), Kalinin (3.5) Mara (2.9)
2. Rozsival (10.4), Staal (9.9), Mara (4.4), Reitz (4.0) Redden (2.7), Girardi (1.7)

Plus, Rangers blog says Staal.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions