4:20pm CT: The return for Giordano and Blackwell has been revealed. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was first to report that the Maple Leafs are sending two second-round picks and a third-round pick to the Kraken for the duo. Seattle is also retaining 50% of Giordano’s $6.75MM cap hit. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun clarified that it is a 2022 second-rounder, 2023 second-rounder, and 2024 third-rounder, all Toronto’s own. Both teams have now confirmed the deal.
Given the market set by the Josh Manson, Ben Chiarot, and Hampus Lindholm trades, the relative affordability of this deal is impressive work by Toronto GM Kyle Dubas. Giordano and Blackwell may not be more than rentals for the Leafs, but fill important gaps in the lineup for a team desperate for a deep postseason run. Meanwhile, neither player was likely to re-sign with the Kraken, who now possess seven second-round picks and five third-round picks over the next three drafts.
3:39pm CT: Giordano will not be making the trek to Toronto alone. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports that forward Colin Blackwell is also headed to the Maple Leafs in the deal. The return is still unclear as Toronto works through the salary cap implications, but they will be adding a valuable two-way depth forward in Blackwell, checking off another box on their deadline wish list. Blackwell has 17 points in 39 games for Seattle this season, making the most of his time since returning from injury while still flying under the radar as an underrated acquisition for Toronto.
2:05pm CT: After clearing out some additional cap space (or at least starting the process) by waiving Petr Mrazek, the Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired one of the top rental options on the market. Mark Giordano is heading home, acquired by the Maple Leafs from the Seattle Kraken according to several reports including Ryan Leslie of Sportsnet. It is not yet clear what the Kraken will be receiving in return, though Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that multiple draft picks will be involved.
Giordano, 38, may not be the player who recorded 74 points and won the Norris Trophy in 2019, but he’s still a strong play-driving defenseman that can give the Maple Leafs a much-needed boost down the stretch. The fact that his partner during that Norris season was none other than T.J. Brodie only makes the deal that much better of a fit, even if he’s not the right-handed option that Toronto has been looking for for so long.
With Jake Muzzin out with his second concussion of the year and facing an uncertain recovery timeline, adding in a player like Giordano was an obvious move for the Maple Leafs. Still, given the high price of rentals this season and the tight cap situation that Toronto always finds itself in, acquiring a name this big was not always a guarantee.
Can Giordano play goal too? :D
Be interesting to see what it cost
Likely a 2nd and a 4th….not a first as Ronnie F wanted.
going to guess 2nd and a prospect. 4th seems low based on other prices
sounds like the third I’m the Dermott btrade is part of the package back
I am hoping Dubas signs David Ayres , is he still driving Zamboni , he can still do that and be a backup to someone.
How does Giordano not get a better return then Habs got for Chariot. Has to be a 1st plus a 2nd or a 3rd and something else. If not Habs make out like bandits
Did you see how the Kraken handled the expansion Draft? I would be surprised to see them get any kind of haul that Kraken fans could be happy with.
Because Chiarot is younger, cheaper and at this point in his career just flat out better than Gio. Not to mention Montreal retained 50% of his salary. Gio isn’t the same player he was even 2-years ago. Have you watched him at all this year? He’s slowed down considerably.
Toronto was not bidding against anyone. That’s where Giordano wanted to go and Seattle decided long ago to honors his wishes even though they didn’t have to. That limited the return they were going to get.
Two 2nd rounders and a 3rd is arguably more valuable than a late 1st
This is a waste. Giordano could have made the difference between a real Blues run or not.
He will change nothing for the Leafs.
Your extremely biased takes on anything Leaf related are well documented.
Well, considering that it’s been nearly twenty years since Toronto has so much as won a single playoff series, I’d keep the optimism down to a dull roar myself. You ready to apologize to Josh if the Leafs choke yet again this playoff?
Nha, you’re bias is showing. C-Daddy made no claims of optimism or long playoff runs for the Leafs because of this trade. You got so excited to bash the Leafs that you wrote an answer to a post you created in your head…
Nha, as the commenter below said, your interpretation of my comment is classic anti-Leafs nonsense. Nowhere did I say the things you suggested. Why would I apologize?
There are many commenters on this site (you included, apparently) who champion themselves as informed and unbiased hockey fans yet devolve into schoolyard bullies anytime the Leafs are mentioned.
@C-Daddy – This is why I have that particular poster on mute!
“C-Daddy4 hours ago
Your extremely biased takes on anything Leaf related are well documented.”
This is the single best response I’ve ever gotten…
WHERE exactly are my “extremely biased” takes being “documented” and by whom?
I’d love to read them again.
In the meantime, my takes on the Leafs are quite reasonable except when I **** down the throat of your clueless GM, Kid Corsi.
1967. We hadn’t even landed on the moon yet.
Oh, my harsh takes on the Leafs is why? Not you being tired of being constantly exposed as a victim of disinformation and a purveyor of misinformation?
K.
Interesting to see if him and Brodie can regain the magic they had while paired in Calgary.
Rielly and Lyubushkin seem to be gelling well. Holl’s found his game again and Sandin continues to provide solid 3rd pairing minutes.
The Leafs’ D corps is as good as it’s going to get this year. If they falter in the playoffs, it’s time to move everyone except Rielly and Sandin.
why keep Rielly?
Because he’s really good?
not at defense. Rielly is a forward playing d.
That reputation may have been earned earlier in his career but he’s a complete player this season.
you need to watch him more than.
he is always trying to jump in the rush while constantly being out of position. he doesn’t know how to play a 2 on 1 and yesterday va Nashville coasted back even though he was the dman.
I know he has a ton of offense but the reality is he isn’t a good defenseman, just a good offensive defenseman who probably shouldn’t be the top minute guy for this team to win
I’ve watched virtually every Leafs game for years lol.
He’s not a perfect #1 d-man, but the team consistently out-chances the opposition when he’s on the ice.
A big part of his value is him jumping into the rush. He makes more good reads than not, and sometimes it’s a forward’s fault for not recognizing. You can’t remove that part of his game because of the odd mistake.
Should he be playing against the opposition’s top lines all the time? Probably not. That was supposed to be Muzzin’s role. But here we are.
A lot of Trades happening today and hopefully a lot tomorrow like 100 hundred.
It better be a 1st plus for Gio and Colin. I understand Francis was up against it with both being UFA’s after this season, but anything less is unacceptable based upon the other movements that have taken place. Should be a ’23 or ’24 also.
It’s not just that Francis was up against it because they are UFAs. Seattle decided long ago to only make a deal Giordano approved of. He wanted to go to Toronto. There was no bidding war. The Leafs weren’t negotiating against anyone but themselves.
Agreed, that made it tougher. I guess 2 two’s and a three isn’t so bad of a return considering the circumstances. More chances to hit on a prospect, I guess. With all their draft picks in the next few years I hope their scouting department is up to the task.
Not a terrible return for Seattle, not a bad buy for Toronto. Sure, the next couple Toronto drafts will be bare, but how many impact players in their lineup are older than prime other than Tavares, Brodie and Spezza? Just their goalies, and everyone knows they need to upgrade in net as it stands. Matthews, Marner, Bunting, Reilly, Kerfoot, Nylander, Holl, that’s a base good for several seasons.
But that’s the problem with the team. They didn’t NEED Giordano or Blackwell. They DO need another quality goalie in net if they have any hopes of a deep playoff run. So how do they figure on affording one under the cap, and with what do they hope to trade for one?
This is all well and good for the Leafs, but if you continue to get goaltending like you did last night, it’ll be another 1st round exit for you.
And it’s equally possible Campbell comes back healthy and is back to the performance that had him in the Vezina conversation early in the season. He may well have had a nagging rib injury that contributed to his struggles and rushed back when Mrazek couldn’t stop anything.
I love the perseverance of Campbell and how he has become a teams #1 goalie, but I just don’t see him being able to hold off the scoring that both the Bolts and Panthers will throw at him.
Let me demonstrate what a biased take about the Leafs looks like…
“They are going to overcome their awful goaltending, turnstile defense and soft as Jello forward group to beat Florida and Tampa and win the Stanley Cup!!!”
“Or even a round!”
SEA didn’t get a 1st and the Leafs are a 1st round exit again. This is a Dubas Moment and a Francis Moment
Francis would rather have 3 mid-round picks than a first anyway. It’ll be a great farm system in 5 years when he gets fired.