Among the veteran NHLers still seeking a contract as training camps near is defenceman Mark Giordano.
Soon to be 41 years old, the former Norris Trophy winner spent the last two seasons with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs on a dirt-cheap two-year contract worth just above the league minimum at $800k annually.
He was a mainstay on Toronto’s blueline in the first of those two seasons, posting 24 points over 78 games while logging an average of 18:57 per night. Giordano’s season in 2023-24 was limited because of an injury suffered in February when he crashed head-first into the boards. He scored 10 points in 46 games, logging 16:37 per night, and didn’t suit up for the Leafs in the playoffs.
Giordano’s agent, Ritch Winter, appeared on Sportsnet radio in Calgary with Eric Francis and said that his client still wants to play. According to Winter, Giordano has spoken to “a lot” of teams, including the Edmonton Oilers.
The Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres are the other teams that Winter mentioned, though playing for a contending team such as Edmonton would be ideal for the veteran defender.
“We’re talking to a lot of teams. He’s looking to win. Even Gio doesn’t think he has 10 years left, so you want to try and win,” Winter said. “Gio’s holding firm until he finds an opportunity that gives him a high probability of being in that Stanley Cup Final. Obviously, Edmonton’s a good place.”
A defenceman with 1,148 NHL games to his name, there’s logic to the idea that Giordano could be worth bringing in on a professional tryout contract to see if he can still hack third-pairing minutes. The Oilers lost a promising young defender in Philip Broberg this summer and let go of Vincent Desharnais and Cody Ceci because of the salary cap. Ty Emberson, Troy Stecher, and Josh Brown are the ones available to replace their minutes, with Phil Kemp, Cam Dineen, and Max Wanner among the options in the American Hockey League.
That said, Giordano isn’t the only veteran defenceman still on the open market. The Oilers could find somebody younger to fill the veteran blueline insurance option role, as the team has become a primary option for players seeking a serious run at the Stanley Cup.
