Let's Get Girardi in the All Star Game, Torts Says NHL Is "Ass Backwards"

Source: Zimbio

Last season we got behind the Sean Avery for the All Star campaign. This year the NYR Blog is campaigning for Dan Girardi to play in the All Star game and it's hard not to get behind that push to get out the vote for Girardi. Girardi is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL, one of the best shot blockers and one of the Rangers' best players night in and night out. He's been snubbed on the All Star ballot, while Marc Staal (who hasn't played a game this season) is on it.

Far too often the defensive defensemen of the NHL get overlooked because they aren't putting up 40 points a season or rushing the puck end to end. But, Girardi is as good as it gets at his position and certainly worthy of a spot on the All Star team. When it comes to the position of defensemen, you can't tell me that he's not top 10 in the league in his position right now. He's not flashy, but he gets the job done and done well.

Ranger Rants had some good stuff about Girardi after last night's 5-1 against Carolina. Tortorella was asked about Marc Staal being on the ballot and Dan Girardi being left off:

?Oh, this league,? said Tortorella, waving his hand in disgust. ?It?s because he?s not pedigree. There?s no pedigree there. Our league is so ass-backwards when it comes to that. It?s not just this year that he?s been underrated. This guy has been a really good player. But if you don?t have the pedigree in this league, they don?t look at you.?

Not that this is about Staal because if both Girardi and Staal were playing this season, most likely, both would deserve to be on the ballot. But Staal was picked 12th overall in the 2005 draft and has two brothers in the league while Girardi signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of the Ontario Hockey League, where he played for Barrie, Guelph and London. Girardi?s ascension as one of the better defensemen in the league is truly a great story of hard work and perseverance.

Hear what Torts has to say about the All Star Ballot snub at the 1:40 mark of the video...




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Source: http://puckcentral.blogspot.com/2011/11/lets-get-girardi-in-all-star-game-torts.html

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