Two-time Team Captain May Hang Up the Skates this Summer

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TJ Tucker
June 4, 2023 (2:36 PM)

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He's already one of the greatest undrafted players ever to have a career in the NHL. According to one report, don't be surprised if he decides to end his career now.

The Player

According to Nick Kypreos, it would not be surprising at all to see Mark Giordano decide to hang up his skates over the summer. The 39-year-old has one season left on his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs at a cap hit of $800,000.

Giordano is a likely Hall-of-Fame candidate, having won a Norris Trophy in 2019 as the league's best blueliner, and captaining two teams. Giordano served as captain for the Calgary Flames eight of his 13 seasons there, and was the first-ever captain in the history of the Seattle Kraken, although that would last just six months before he was traded to the Maple Leafs and eventually sign a two-year deal with the team. "Gio" is also a leader on and off the ice, being involved in several community initiatives and becoming a hugely respected player around the league.

If It's Over...

If Giordano does decide to ride off into the sunset, it's unlikely the money he'd leave on the table would be a major factor in the decision. According to CapFriendly, his career earnings are north of $62 million. Last season in Toronto he dressed for just 20 games during the regular season, but was used in seven of the 11 Maple Leafs' playoff games, a move that some fans didn't agree with.