The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent defenceman Dan Girardi to a two-year, $6 million contract.

Girardi was bought out by the New York Rangers last week after 11 years with the team. The 33-year-old scored four goals and added 11 assists over 63 games with the Rangers in 2016-17.

A veteran of 788 career games, Girardi owns 46 goals and 230 points in his NHL career. Undrafted in the NHL, he worked his way up from the ECHL to eventually debut with the Rangers during the 2005-06 season. He was named to the All-Star game in 2012. 

Girardi owned an annual cap hit of $5.5 million on his previous deal with the Rangers. He signed the six-year, $33 million contract in February, 2014 in season where he scored five goals and 24 points while averaging 23:07 of ice time per game. He averaged 19:06 of ice time per game this past season, his lowest since his rookie year.

Joe Smith of the Times expects the deal to be short-term with a relatively low cap hit. He adds it's unclear what the addition of Girardi means for the Lightning's pursuit of Kevin Shattenkirk.