Rangers buy out Dan Girardi's contract

The New York Rangers bought out the final three seasons of defenseman Dan Girardi's contract, the team announced on Wednesday.

Girardi, who had spent his entire 11-season NHL career with the Rangers, had cap hit of $5.5 million for each season remaining on a six-year, $33 million deal signed in February 2014.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, a player over the age of 26 (Girardi is 33) can be bought out at two-thirds of the remaining value of the contract. The Rangers will be dinged for the next six seasons in empty cap space, but they will save almost $2.9 million against the cap next season and almost $1.9 million the following two years.

"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 released by the team. "I want to acknowledge that the Rangers are a first class organization who have 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."

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The move comes as the teams maneuver ahead of the expansion draft on June 21. Girardi had a modified no-move clause, meaning the Rangers potentially wouldn’t have been able to list him among the players teams are required to make available to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Girardi was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006 by the Rangers. He spent most of his career as a top-pairing blueliner, however the contract and career decline led the Rangers down this path. The league is shifting toward more mobile defenseman and Girardi's shot-blocking, stay-at-home style wasn't going to be a fit at that cost.

He finishes his Rangers career with 788 games played, 46 goals, 230 points, a plus-54 rating and 1650 blocked shots (from 2007-17).