From the Lightning PR staff, about 90 minutes into free agency Saturday:
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent defenseman Dan Girardi to a two-year contract worth an average of $3 million, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.
Girardi, 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, has played in 788 career NHL games, all with the New York Rangers from 2006 through 2017. He has registered 46 goals, 230 points and 13 power-play goals with a plus-54 rating for his career. During the 2010-11 season, Girardi led the entire NHL for blocked shots with 236. He has ranked in the Top 10 in the league for blocked shots during six of the previous eight seasons overall. Girardi ranked fourth in the league for average ice time during the 2011-12 season with 26:14. After serving as interim alternate captain of the Rangers on a few occasions, he was given the honor permanently for the 2014-15 season.
The Welland, Ontario native has skated in 122 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording six goals and 33 points with 36 penalty minutes. He played in 25 games in 2014, helping the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final, notching a goal and seven points. Girardi immediately becomes Tampa Bay’s most experienced playoff performer, ahead of Braydon Coburn who has appeared in 115 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Girardi played in 63 games with the Rangers last season, notching four goals and 15 points with a plus-8 rating. He led the team in blocked shots with 166, was fifth for hits with 107 and ranked tied for fifth for game-winning goals with three. Girardi also played in 12 playoff games in 2017, notching two assists.
The 33-year-old was originally undrafted, signing with the Rangers as a free agent.