Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi is going to look a little different on the ice next season.
According to the Rangers, Girardi took to the ice today in a pre-camp workout and was rocking a brand new visor on his helmet, something he’s never worn in his time as a pro.
The reason for him making the change probably have everything to do with what happened to teammate Marc Staal a year ago.
Staal suffered a serious injury after taking a puck in his eye back on March 5. Staal missed the rest of the regular season and returned to play in one postseason game, Game 3 against Washington in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The NHL has made visors mandatory for new players, but that doesn’t apply to Girardi. Seeing him make the switch makes a world of sense not just for logical reasons but also because he’s consistently been a league-leader in blocking shots.