Mark Giordano will turn 41 a day before the 2024-25 season kicks off but according to his agent, the veteran defenceman has a lot left in the tank.
“Mark has made the decision that he’s playing for a few more years,” agent Rich Winter said in an interview with The Toronto Star. “He feels very confident. He’s been talking to a lot of people who tell him: Don’t quit until they make you.”
Whether Giordano’s career resumes with the Toronto Maple Leafs or elsewhere remains to be seen. He will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
If he finds a team, this upcoming campaign would be Giordano’s 19th season in the league. He joined the Maple Leafs in a trade from the Seattle Kraken during the 2021-2022 season and has suited up for 1,148 games with the Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken and Maple Leafs. However, he did not see any action in the playoffs this spring as Toronto bowed out in seven games to the Boston Bruins.
“He clearly wants to play,” said Winter, adding he wouldn’t discuss any specifics about contract talks with the Maple Leafs.
Originally going undrafted, Giordano began his career with the Flames in 2005 and captained that team for eight seasons from 2013-2021. He won the Norris Trophy in 2018-19 and the Mark Messier Leadership Award the following season.
The Kraken selected Giordano from the Flames in the 2021 expansion draft and he was the first captain in that franchise’s history.