Reposting my comments from the day Dan was bought out by the Rangers.
A very sad day for me. When Dan first came up as an underdog, he immediately gained my attention. Hard worker, effective leader and a Cinderella story that will warm your heart.
I've never been one to have a "favorite" player, but in recent years Dan was the closest for me. Maybe it was because my late son was named Gerard and we called him Gerardy. More likely it was his hard work, no frills game. I've always prided myself on my blue collar work ethic and I felt that Dan best embodied that on the Ranger teams of the last decade.
He was also a good guy. Once told me I was the first fan he ever saw wearing his number.
The decision today was proper and appropriate. The game has changed and as Dan's body wore down, the demands of his position changed. Playing AV's system from day one was a challenge for him. He suffered more than his share of injuries, many of which I imagine we never knew about.
Back when I worked in hockey I learned never to fall in love with a player. The team is what is most important. And while I privately hoped the Rangers would move on from Staal and keep Girardi for another season, this decision cannot be debated. I don't need analytics (yuk) to understand when changes are necessary.
For the haters here, I hope you take a moment to understand that the Rangers have had a tremendous run for the last decade and Girardi has been one of the most important contributors. You can't win the Stanley Cup every year. This team has given us a lot of thrills and sadly, just missed the brass ring. Dan Girardi's contributions to the Rangers were long and noteworthy. He has had a great career in New York and I for one am so sorry to see him go.
You done good Dan, you done good.
And at the end of the day, Father Time once again continued undefeated.
