It’s all Wellandgood for Girardi
There is no doubt Dan Girardi is a proud of his hometown.
The 40-year-old Welland native was effusive in his praise of the Rose City Sunday at the Welland Sports Wall of Fame inductions at the Seaway Mall.
“I love the city,” he said. “It taught me that hard work pays off. I still love coming here, driving through the old neighbourhoods, going by my schools Glendale and Centennial. I still travel to Buckner’s a lot and always love coming to Welland for my Rose City pizza and wings.”
Girardi even mentioned the significance of the mall, noting his met his wife Pamela at the cinemas and how he returned to get his hair cut there last summer at Hair Hunters.
Girardi, a former National Hockey League defenceman with the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning, was joined on the wall by Lauren Aiello (rowing), Jack Ballantyne (builder, hockey), Steve Latinovich (hockey), Corey Lee (judo), Mike Rao (builder, basketball), Ray Sarkis (builder, Niagara College) as well as the 1973 Atlas Steels tyke baseball team, the 1977 Club Richelieu midget baseball team and the 2016 Jean Vanier girls basketball squad.
Girardi said Welland’s blue collar reputation served him well on the ice.
“Welland taught me about hard work and dedication in everything. That’s how I approached my hockey career starting with my minor hockey days with the Welland Tigers where I played with all my friends from tyke to bantam and had great coaching along the way as well.”
Girardi worked his way up the hockey ladder and by 15 was skating at the junior B level with the Welland Cougars. He was then drafted by the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League but quickly ran into a couple of roadblocks.
“My first year I didn’t play much and my second year ruptured my spleen,” Girardi recalled. “Two years of some adversity and what I learned from Welland was to keep going and working hard.”
That work ethic would continue to prove crucial after being cut by the Rangers as well as their American League affiliate in his first crack at pro hockey.
“I was at the airport for my flight back home wondering what my future holds. I could stay home and play at Brock or give pro hockey a chance”
Girardi chose the latter, beginning in the ECHL, but not before a trip to David Chev-Olds where he picked up a two-door Ford Explorer, loaded it up with his belongings, and headed to Charlotte, N.C., to being his career.
A couple of weeks later Girardi got called up to the AHL and in less than two years was named to the AHL All-Star game in Toronto where he was slated to play before 50 friends and family members.
“It was awesome and everyone was excited,” he said.
But Girardi never played in that game. Instead, he took a message informing him he had been called up to the Rangers where he played his first game Feb. 27, 2007 in Philadelphia.
“I never looked back and was never satisfied after being called up,” he said. “I was with the Rangers 11 great seasons then they bought me out. Thinking about how I grew up and everything like that, I took a couple of days and thought about it and decided to prove everyone wrong with the Rangers and work hard and train hard and did that and signed with Lightning and played two years.”
Girardi, who retired in 2019 at the NHL’s all-time leader in blocked shots with almost 2,000, even had a Welland connection in New York where he played with childhood teammates Dan Paille and Andre Deveaux.
“That was pretty cool,” he said. “So many great hockey players that come out of Welland. Those who attended that Hometown Hockey event a couple of years ago, you know what I’m taking about.”
Girardi, who lives in Niagara Falls with his wife and their two children — son Landon, 14, and daughter Shaye, 10 — moved back to Niagara following his playing career and quickly began coaching with the Southern Tier Admirals.
“The Welland Main Arena is pretty special to with all the jerseys (of Welland players who made the NHL) they have there, it’s pretty neat. When my team practises there I get pretty excited because I remember all the great memories and I can brag to all my players that their coach is pretty damn good at hockey,” Girardi said.
“I’m lucky enough to help kids become good hockey players but also great teammates and humans off the ice and instil in them hard work, be dedicated and always we earn everything. Nothing is free. I love giving back to minor hockey and help the next generation hopefully reach their NHL dreams just like I did.”
Girardi became emotional toward end of his speech.
“Throughout my career I played the game hard. Blocked shots, dished out hits, and battled through countless injuries, bumps and bruises. There was a lot of wear and tear on my body but everyday I worked hard,” he said.
Girardi, who mentioned the support of his parents Mark and Carol and his family, also works for the Buffalo Sabres as a development coach.
For a story on three teams elected this year, visit: https://www.bpsportsniagara.com/three-teams-join-welland-sports-wall-of-fame/
This year’s induction ceremony will be broadcast on YourTV Niagara Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 11 at 9 a.m. and Sunday, May 12 at 1 p.m.
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