Mark Giordano’s camp has been in talks with several NHL teams this offseason, including the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Buffalo Sabres, according to his agent Ritch Winter in an interview on Sportsnet’s Flames Talk.
The 40-year-old defenseman, who will turn 41 in October, was the oldest player in the NHL last season. Giordano recorded nine points in 46 games with the Maple Leafs and averaged 16:37 minutes of ice time per game.
During the previous season, Giordano missed 24 games due to a broken finger sustained in November and a concussion suffered in March.
In June, Giordano’s agent stated that Giordano aims to continue playing for “a few more years,” though he remains an unrestricted free agent and has not yet secured a contract with any team.
The 2019 Norris Trophy winner is reportedly “holding firm until he finds an opportunity that gives him a high probability of being in the Stanley Cup Final,” as stated by his agent.
Giordano spent his first 15 seasons with the Flames and served as the team’s captain from 2013 to 2021. A proposal for Giordano to return to Calgary and eventually move into a management role was discussed, but his agent noted that “it didn’t seem that (general manager) Craig Conroy had much interest” in this plan.
The Maple Leafs have not officially signed Jani Hakanpaa due to uncertainties surrounding his health, while the Oilers traded Cody Ceci and lost Philip Broberg to the St. Louis Blues through an offer sheet.
The Sabres have young talent on defense, which could make Giordano a potential fit as a mentor. However, his agent mentioned concerns that Giordano may not be content with a reduced role on the ice in Buffalo.
Over his career, Giordano has amassed 577 points in 1,148 games with the Flames, Seattle Kraken, and Maple Leafs. Despite a long career spanning 18 seasons, he has participated in only 41 playoff games and has not progressed past the second round.
