We are now 1/4 of the way into the NHL season, a pretty good sampling to see who is and isn't getting the job done. This past off season the NY Rangers committed 11.5 million dollars for this season for 2 defencemen, Wade Redden and Michal Rosival, yet it is the 2nd lowest paid defencemen on the team who far and away has been the best night in and night out. Dan Giardi currently sits 9th amongst all NHL defenceman in scoring . Among those top 9 Giardi is the 3rd lowest paid backliner trailing only Shea Weber of Nashville and Mike Green of the Capitals. Giardi is the prototypical 2 way defenseman. He does not do anything flashy, he just does everything right. Giardi already has more then half the points he had all last season he is on pace to score 10 goals and have 41 assists which would translate to a 51 point season, now those are not Bobby Orr numbers mind you, but if you look at the 2 highest paid Rangers Defenceman's prior season that netted them the big contracts they are working on, you can only sit and scratch your head. Redden last season had 38 points and in his 13 year NHL season only surpassed 10 goals once and never had more then 50 points in a season, that body of work netted him a 6.5 million dollars a year contract. The next highest paid D-man is Michal Rozsival (the new Marek Malik), Rozsival has played 7 NHL seasons and again only scored more then 10 goals once in his career and his highest point total is 40 ,which was more a cause and effect of playing on the power play with Jagr. Giardi is doing what he is doing with limited power play time and a not so potent offensive attack. While the Redden and Rozsival contracts are worthy of a government bailout, Dan Giardi's to borrow a phrase from The Who, I call that a Bargain the best we every had.
Mark Rosenman
SPORTSTALKNY HOST AND PRODUCER
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