Mark Giordano might become a free agent soon. He just finished his second full season with the Maple Leafs but faced injuries and was benched during their first-round loss to the Bruins.
Despite these setbacks, Giordano isn’t planning to retire. His agent, Rich Winter, told Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star that Giordano wants to keep playing in the NHL, even at 41 years old. “Mark has made the decision that he’s playing for a few more years,” Winter said. “He feels very confident. He’s been talking to a lot of people who tell him: Don’t quit until they make you.”
Giordano had his worst season yet, appearing in only 46 games with three goals and nine points. He also had a +10 rating and averaged 16:37 on ice per game, which is his lowest since 2008-09 . Injuries played a big part in this; he missed most of December due to a finger injury and most of March because of a concussion.
Giordano’s Future Prospects:
Fans might wonder if teams will still be interested in him when free agency starts on July 1st. Even though he struggled offensively this past season, Giordano still showed strong possession numbers compared to his teammates. He often played alongside Timothy Liljegren, who has good advanced metrics despite some defensive mistakes.
Calling Giordano an offensive specialist isn’t accurate; he’s always had strong possession stats since his early days with Calgary as an undrafted free agent. This season, he averaged 2:16 per game shorthanded, ranking fifth on the Leafs for penalty-killing time.
There’s still value in what Giordano brings to the table . However, teams will question how much longer he can keep it up as he’s currently the oldest active player in the league.
He’s finishing up a two-year contract worth $800K AAV signed back in May 2022. He probably won’t ask for more than that and might even accept less to meet the $775K league minimum.
What do you think? Should Mark keep playing or hang up his skates?
