Rangers to buy out Girardi's contract
Dan Girardi has played his last game as a New York Ranger.
The club will buy out the veteran defenseman's contract, ending his 11-year tenure in New York.
Girardi had a modified no-movement clause, meaning the Rangers would have needed to protect him in the upcoming expansion draft.
The 33-year-old intends to continue his NHL career and will be looking at his options as an unrestricted free agent as soon as his buyout is complete, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
Girardi originally carried a $5.5-million cap hit over each of the next three seasons, but will now be on the books for the next six years at a lower annual rate.
| Season | Buyout Cap Hit |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | $2.61M |
| 2018-19 | $3.61M |
| 2019-20 | $3.61M |
| 2020-21 | $1.11M |
| 2021-22 | $1.11M |
| 2022-23 | $1.11M |
(Courtesy: CapFriendly)
The Rangers can buy Girardi out as soon as the buyout period opens Thursday, because having a no-movement clause means he won't have to be placed on waivers beforehand.
"I poured my heart and soul into this team for the past 11 seasons and I enjoyed every minute of it," Girardi said in a statement Wednesday. "I want to acknowledge that the Rangers are a first-class organization (which has) always treated our players in a first-class fashion. My family and I are most grateful for the way we have been treated during our stay in New York."
Girardi ranks ninth on the Rangers' all-time games played list (788), having chipped in 184 assists and 230 points.