The New York Rangers are stuck with a monumentally poor contract in Dan Girardi. Girardi not only is set to make $5.5 Million each of the next three seasons, but he also has full protection from the Expansion Draft. Girardi must be moved by the Draft, so let’s look at a reasonable possibility.
Why Girardi Must Go:
Girardi is by all accounts a fantastic guy in the locker room, but his performance has consistently dropped with each passing season. He no longer can keep up with the speed of today’s NHL, and when paired with the Rangers top defenseman Ryan McDonagh, Girardi craters his abilities.
The Rangers also are in the market for a top pair defenseman, one they will hope to acquire this Trade Deadline. New York would presumably like to keep that defenseman long-term, something they would not be able to do if they kept Girardi.
New York can only protect three defenseman in the Expansion Draft. Marc Staal has a full no-movement clause, thus he must be protected. Ryan McDonagh will be protected, as he is the team’s top defenseman. That leaves one spot available, a spot currently occupied by Dan Girardi and his no-movement clause.
Girardi’s clause leaves the Rangers with a choice: fail to acquire a defenseman, trade Girardi, or buyout Girardi. While most expect Girardi to be bought out, there may be another solution.
Identifying a Desperate Team:
The only way to move a player like Dan Girardi is to find a team equally as desperate. The Dallas Stars have failed to live up to expectations this year, due in part to horrific goaltending. It’s no secret that the Stars would like an upgrade in net, but to do so they must move Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi’s mammoth contracts.
Enter the Rangers. Dallas must move a goaltender, the Rangers must move a defenseman. Swapping problems would work out for both teams. Let’s dive in.
Dan Girardi, Antti Raanta, + Assets for Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi:
The deal would need to be approved by Dan Girardi, but his decreased playing time may do the trick. Working under the assumption Girardi agrees to the deal, the logic behind the deal works for both sides.
The Rangers would rid themselves of Girardi’s contract, opening up a space for a defenseman they acquire.
Losing Antti Raanta would be difficult during a playoff stretch, but Benoit Allaire has proven to work wonders with goalies. Whether it be Lehtonen or Niemi, the confidence is there that Allaire can get them on the right track to backup Lundqvist.
Though New York would still need to buyout Lehtonen or Niemi, the cost would be greatly decreased in comparison to a Girardi buyout.
Girardi would cost the Rangers up to $3.7 Million in cap space in a single year (though the number changes each year), while the buyout would span until at least 2023. Lehtonen would cost no more than $2.7 Million at once, spanning only two years, while Niemi would cost no more than $1.5 Million spanning a couple of years.
As for the assets, New York has every reason to want the deal to happen. The assets cannot be too large, but throwing in a fringe prospect or two to entice the Stars is worth it in the long run.
For the Stars, trading for Antti Raanta shores up the goaltending for the remainder of the season, while also giving the team a potential long term option. Additionally, having Raanta on board prevents other teams from exploiting Dallas’ clear need for a goaltender in trade negotiations.
Raanta can be moved in a deal for another goaltender like Ben Bishop as an asset as well. Dan Girardi’s contract would be difficult to take on, but Girardi’s reputation around the league is a tough, shot-blocking defenseman that has shut down top line players before. We do not know if Dallas buys into the hoopla, but at worst he likely is not a parasite in the minds of management.
His long term contract would be less than ideal, but acquiring a goaltender, ridding themselves of their own goaltending problem, and helping their push in the present gives the Stars reason to pull the trigger.
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The prediction here is that Girardi ends up being bought out in the off-season, but a deal is not impossible. New York must look around the league for desperate competition.