Dan Girardi

Status: New York Rangers defenseman

Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 215

DOB: April 29, 1984 in: Welland, Ontario



Hobbies/Leisure Activities: "I like to play golf here and there. I concentrate on the training in the summer. And I just like to go have a good time with the friends, nothing special. But I like to have a good time."



Hockey Inspirations: "As in player? Or people in my life? (Both.) Obviously my parents, for sure. They got me into it when I was young. So it inspired me throughout the way and I'm just trying to make them proud at this level. And there's no one player in particular that inspired me; just watching hockey growing up. And coming to New York and watching guys like (Jaromir) Jagr, (Brendan) Shanahan, (Chris) Drury, (Scott) Gomez."



Nicknames: "‘G’, ‘G-Money’, ‘Girard’, ‘Danny G.’ "



Favorite Movies: "Super Troopers and The Boondock Saints."



Favorite TV Shows: "Family Guy, hands down."



Musical Tastes: "I like a little bit of everything – U2, Breaking Benjamin. And I like some pop and techno as well."



Last Book Read: "Oh, I have to dig back...I'd say Angels & Demons (by Dan Brown)."



First Hockey Memory: "Winning the OMHAs in atom (age 10-11). Scoring a few goals in that tournament and getting a nice, big leather jacket as a kid. It was something pretty cool.”



Favorite Meal: "Gnocchi with meat sauce."



Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Honey Nut Cheerios."



Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Cookies and cream."



First Job: "Dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant."



First Car: "1996 Pontiac Sunfire (red)."



Current Car: "2007 black Chevy Avalanche."



Pregame Feeling: "Just thinking about doing my job well, not trying to get over-excited. Just really keeping it calm until the game starts."



Greatest Sports Moment: "Playing my first NHL game in Philly."



Most Painful Moment: "Rupturing my spleen in 2001 in the OHL. I got hit into the boards in pre-season and I was out for five months."



Favorite Uniforms: "Rangers."



Funniest Players Encountered: "Matt Cullen, Sean Avery. (What is it about Avery?) He comes in with something new every day. One day he'll be calm, next day he'll come in and just be all over you."



Toughest Competitors Encountered: "I couldn't put a name on one. Just every game seems like everyone competes hard, so it's hard for me to pick one individual guy or line."



Funny Hockey Memory: "It was Jr. B back in maybe '99. Just went out on warm-up, no idea I had my skate guards on, took a couple of strides and went down hard. (Where?) Back in my hometown of Welland."



Favorite Players To Watch: "Scott Niedermayer – the way he skates. Tomas Kaberle – the way he makes passes in his own and other areas on the ice."



Last Vacation: "Las Vegas."



Last Halloween Costume: "I was a NASCAR baby. (What do you mean?) When I was in Charlotte, we had to dress up as a baby, but in different style. So I dressed up like I had long hair with an 'I Like NASCAR' T-shirt. It was pretty funny."



Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Hard-working and honest."

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski is the author of "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle" and creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com and www.Tennis-prose.com.