Leafs defenseman turning heads with his elite play, despite being the oldest player in the National Hockey League
In a league being taken over by younger talent, veteran players are having a much harder time keeping up to the speed and incredible skill levels on display from the new generation. Defensemen, especially, seem to be changing. The tough, hard-hitting types are being replaced by smooth skating, offensively talented puck movers like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. The game is faster than it's ever been, the role of the defenseman is rapidly evolving, and through it all, Mark Giordano is still playing at an extremely high level.
A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, Giordano has witnessed the shift first-hand. Rather than clinging to a style that doesn't work anymore, he's evolved with the game. He keeps things simple but is no less effective for it. Not only that, he has stayed fit and done well with avoiding injuries. The Toronto native hasn't missed a game due to injury since 2020, which is remarkable when you consider how he plays. With the Leafs' defense enduring injuries to Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Jake Muzzin, Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom, the task has fallen to the 39-year-old vet to lead the team's blue line.
Giordano has played more than 20 minutes in each of the Leafs' last 11 games, which is impressive on its own. What's even more impressive is that his advanced stats, the ones that measure chances, puck possession and play driving, look fantastic over that stretch. When Giordano is on the ice at 5-on-5, the Leafs are getting 51% of all scoring chances and 55% of all high danger scoring chances. In terms of actual scoring, 60% of goals scored at 5-on-5 when he's out there have gone into his opponents' nets. In relative terms, that's some excellent work. He's also been on the ice for the fewest goals against at 5-on-5 in the entire league among defensemen who have played over 300 minutes.
At only $800k for this season and next, Giordano's contract is better than a Black Friday deal. In fact, he should be able to write it off as a charitable contribution on his tax forms. The Leafs can only hope that the 2019 Norris Trophy winner continues his run of excellent play throughout the season. If he does, the trade, and subsequent extension may go down as Kyle Dubas' best move in his tenure as Leafs GM.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 4 | 711 ANSWERS Leafs defenseman turning heads with his elite play, despite being the oldest player in the National Hockey League Is Mark Giordano the best 35+ defenseman in the NHL right now? | ||
| Yes | 688 | 96.8 % |
| No | 23 | 3.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
