Mark Giordano makes stunning decision on his future at 40 years old
Mark Giordano is currently a 40-year-old unrestricted free agent who has yet to sign with an NHL team. He stated that he wants to continue playing many years.
The 2024-25 NHL season is closing in quickly, and Mark Giordano remains unsigned. This has led many fans to believe his time in the league was likely up, however that was far from the truth, as Giordano stated publicly he wants to play for a few more years and has no plans to retire.
Rich Winter is Mark Giordano's agent, and he recently was interview by Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, where he stated that his client wasn't done.
«Mark has made the decision that he's playing for a few more years. He feels very confident. He's been talking to a lot of people who tell him: Don't quit until they make you.»
Giordano won't be signing any long-term contracts at his age, but his agent is adamant that Giordano really wants to play and is willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means signing a PTO to start.
Could Giordano possibly return to the Toronto Maple Leafs even though they haven't shown any interest to re-sign him yet? The problem is that the Leafs were busy signing other players since free agency began, such as Chris Tanev to a six-year, $27 million contract and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a four-year, $14 million deal. The Leafs are also closing in on finalizing a deal they had in place with Jani Hakanpaa, which was a two-year, $3 million contract. There may not be any space for Giordano anymore, unless he and the Leafs are willing to agree to a two-way deal where he would be sent to the AHL's Toronto Marlies as needed.
Another problem is that the Leafs only have roughly $1.2 million left in cap space, so would they be willing to use it all on an ageing 40-year-old when they have other needs they have to address, such as signing restricted free agent (RFA) Nick Robertson.
Giordano has gotten a total of 588 points in his NHL regular season and playoff career, however has never won a Stanley Cup, which could be the reason he wants to remain in the game, as he feels he cannot truly retire until he hoists the coveted trophy.
Source: HockeyDB
Mark Giordano Stats
Mark Giordano Stats
| POLL | ||
AOÛT 7 | 154 ANSWERS Mark Giordano makes stunning decision on his future at 40 years old Will Mark Giordano play in the NHL next season? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 48.7 % |
| No | 79 | 51.3 % |
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