Veteran Leaf reveals what he has done differently to train for this season and why he expects to remain at the top of his game
Whenever a team signs a player who is over the age of 35, there are concerns about their health and longevity. Players do tend to lose a step as they approach 40 years old, however, Mark Giordano seems to be an exception to the rule. The 39-year-old defender was a late bloomer, he didn't make the NHL full time until he was 25, and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defender at age 35. Giordano is a rare breed.
Of course, with age, players need to make adjustments. Giordano spent all summer living in Etobicoke, working with the Leafs training staff. According to Giordano, they helped him change his workout routine from building strength to optimizing it.
"I put a lot of emphasis into activating my core and getting into lower positions, squats and stuff, getting into lower positions where it's harder to get into. As you get older, lifting heavy becomes less important. You've got to be smarter with your lifts, but you still want to stay strong and explosive.
"If you're younger you can definitely do more power stuff and explosive stuff all the time, but I think as you get older you become more aware of wear and tear on your body, especially your back and knees. At this point I feel like I'm a pretty strong guy over time that I've developed that strength, I can maintain that. It's more about being way more efficient and getting into better positions and that's what I learned."
- Mark Giordano on adjusting his training regiment to optimize his performance
"If you're younger you can definitely do more power stuff and explosive stuff all the time, but I think as you get older you become more aware of wear and tear on your body, especially your back and knees. At this point I feel like I'm a pretty strong guy over time that I've developed that strength, I can maintain that. It's more about being way more efficient and getting into better positions and that's what I learned."
- Mark Giordano on adjusting his training regiment to optimize his performance
A full season with Giordano anchoring the third pairing and acting as a mentor for Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren will be excellent for their development. What's even better is that he'll be back at the same cap hit next season. With the help of the Leafs extensive training staff and facilities, Giordano hopes to keep his excellent form for both of the next 2 seasons.
We have seen defensemen linger around into their late 30's and early 40's in recent years. In Zdeno Chara's case, into his mid 40's, but he's a rare breed as well. Thankfully for Giordano, he's a blueliner who plays a sound defensive game and doesn't get caught out of position very often. He also appears to still have the legs to keep up with the speed of today's game. Plus, at just $800K, he still provides excellent value at a zero-risk cap hit.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 11 | 207 ANSWERS Veteran Leaf reveals what he has done differently to train for this season and why he expects to remain at the top of his game How many points will Giordano rack up for the Leafs this season? | ||
| 20-30 | 81 | 39.1 % |
| 31-40 | 90 | 43.5 % |
| 41-50 | 26 | 12.6 % |
| More than 50 | 10 | 4.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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