Rangers Showing Interest In Mark Giordano
Defenseman Mark Giordano will soon officially be joining the Kraken but his stay there may not be very long. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that the Rangers appear to be zeroing in on trying to acquire the blueliner from Seattle.
The 37-year-old had been a part of Calgary’s organization for his entire career spanning parts of 15 NHL seasons before his reported selection today and was a mainstay on their top pairing for a large amount of that time. Back in 2018-19, he had a dominant season offensively which helped lead him to the Norris Trophy but his production has tapered off since then; this past season, he had just 26 points in 56 games which was his lowest output since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. However, he still logged nearly 23 minutes of ice time while being a steadying defensive presence for the Flames.
It’s that element that likely endears him to Rangers GM Chris Drury. While Jacob Trouba is a strong part of their back end, he’s about the only impact veteran they have with several of their blueliners being 23 or younger. Giordano is someone that would fit in quite well with either Trouba or Norris winner Adam Fox as the steadying veteran that allows his partner to jump into the attack.
The other element that is appealing is his contract; Giordano has one year left on his deal with a $6.75MM price tag and Walker suggests that Seattle would be willing to retain on it to facilitate a trade. With New York having several players up for new deals next summer (including Fox, Vitali Kravtsov, and Kaapo Kakko as RFAs plus Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Strome as UFAs), having someone on an expiring contract would certainly help in terms of keeping some spending flexibility.
As for what Seattle might want for their blueliner, Walker reports that Strome may very well be a target for the Kraken. Their reported roster doesn’t exactly feature much in the way of impact talent down the middle and Strome would be able to step in and play an impact role right away. He would certainly be able to bolster their attack while potentially setting himself up nicely for his first trip to the open market a year from now. After having a lot of success with Artemi Panarin with the Rangers, Strome showing that he can still produce away from Panarin would also bolster his case for a big contract in free agency.
If the two sides aren’t able to make a move right away, expect Giordano to garner considerable interest around the league as there are plenty of teams that could benefit from a veteran blueliner of his caliber for next season. Now that he’s heading for an expansion team, it’s likely there will be lots of trade speculation until he finds himself on the move again.
Seattle Kraken To Select Mark Giordano
The Seattle Kraken could have their first captain. The team is expected to select Mark Giordano from the Calgary Flames, according to Samil Nadim Valji of TSN and confirmed by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
Giordano, who will turn 38 in October, is just two years removed from winning the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. In that 2018-19 season he recorded 74 points in 78 games, but that is certainly not the level of offense the Kraken should be expecting. In the two years since, he has totaled 57 points in 116 games and will likely continue to decline at that end of the rink. He also will carry a $6.75MM cap hit for just this season, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
Still, he’s a no-doubt top-four option for next season, and possesses the kind of leadership skills to potentially become the team’s captain right out of the gate. Though the Vegas Golden Knights did not name a captain in their inaugural season, they didn’t have a player like Giordano who has held that role for the last eight seasons.
If the other reports are true, the veteran defenseman is joining a blueline that has the potential to be quite impressive in 2021-22. Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, and Vince Dunn have already been linked to the team, giving them a top-four that some teams around the league would kill for. It does also mean that the Kraken could have a glut of options to choose from and some available in trade, just as the Golden Knights did four years ago. The team received and then flipped names like David Schlemko, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Marc Methot and Alexei Emelin for future draft picks, giving them a solid foundation for moves in the coming years. The Kraken could do the same, especially if the first year doesn’t result in a playoff push.
For Calgary, losing Giordano was obviously something they were prepared for, as they left him off the protected list. Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson are the new core of the defense, with veteran Chris Tanev signed for three more years. Beyond that though, the team will have to make sure to round out their depth chart and replace the minutes (and leadership) that are heading out the door. Taking a $6.75MM cap hit off the books helps in that regard, but it also means they won’t be able to cash in on what was a valuable asset. Trading Giordano in any other summer would have been easy, but contending teams didn’t have the extra protection slot to be able to bring him in. Instead, they’ll watch their captain leave for nothing, suggesting real change is coming in Calgary under head coach Darryl Sutter.
North Notes: Giordano, Sutter, Senators Arena
Mark Giordano has been a fixture on Calgary’s back end for well over a decade and has gone from a role player to a top-line fixture while taking over as their captain. However, Seattle’s expansion draft is on the horizon and the Flames could be inclined to protect players that are going to be around a little longer than the 37-year-old in Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev who all have at least three years left on their respective deals. Accordingly, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis suggests that Giordano would be a viable target for the Kraken who would be able to afford the $6.75MM on his deal for next season where he’d be a valuable mentor (and perhaps a late-season trade chip). For his part, Giordano acknowledged that “there are certain situations where you have to be an adult about it and know there are certain things that have to happen”, suggesting that he seems to see the writing on the wall.
More from the North Division:
- Canucks center Brandon Sutter’s preference is to re-sign with Vancouver this offseason, notes Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 32-year-old certainly hasn’t lived up to the $4.375MM cap hit on the deal he signed after joining Vancouver but he can still be an effective role player, scoring nine goals this season while winning 55.5% of his faceoffs. A significant pay cut is coming one way or another but given his fit on the team, it’s understandable that Sutter may want to stick around.
- Ottawa’s arena situation has been a concern for a few years now after the LeBreton Flats development fell through but it has been off the radar lately. However, team owner Eugene Melnyk indicated in a recent appearance on the Bob McCown Podcast (audio link) that he’s hoping to commit to a new plan within the next few years. His preference is to stay in Kanata but he indicated an openness to considering Gatineau, Quebec as a potential fallback.
Calgary Flames Seeking Right Side Defenseman
The Calgary Flames addressed the right side of their blue line in a big way earlier this off-season, stealing free agent Chris Tanev from the rival Vancouver Canucks. Tanev is a solid two-way defenseman who has earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike over his career. He should settle in nicely as the replacement for T.J. Brodie in the top-four for Calgary, with young Rasmus Andersson beginning a new contract of his own that comes with higher expectations. Someone from the left side can slide over as well, with captain Mark Giordano, young standout Noah Hanifin, top prospect Juuso Valimaki, and recent import Nikita Nesterov under contract and restricted free agent Oliver Kylington awaiting a contract extension.
However, that apparently isn’t enough for the Flames on the right side. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that GM Brad Treliving is still actively seeking another right side defenseman, evaluating both the free agent and trade markets. Whether this is due to Tanev’s injury history or Andersson’s inexperience, it is believed that Treliving would like to add another established right-handed defenseman. However, that may be easier said than done given Calgary’s salary cap situation. The aforementioned six defensemen under contract are part of a group of CapFriendly’s current roster projection of 21 players that comes in just about $1MM under the salary cap ceiling. With Kylington in need of a new deal and one more body required to round out the roster, the Flames don’t have enough cap space as is. Adding a significant name will be difficult without moving out considerable salary.
Ironically, the remnants of the free agent market at right side defense includes a number of familiar names. First and foremost, Travis Hamonic is the exact veteran defenseman that the Flames are trying to replace. Hamonic spent the three seasons with Calgary and alongside Brodie and Andersson made for a solid starting group on the right side. While it was seemingly a done deal that Hamonic would be leaving Calgary, emphasized by his opting out of the postseason, Hamonic’s name has not made much noise this off-season and he could decide to return to the Flames for another year if there are no superior options. Of course, Hamonic will not come cheap. Michael Stone was another member of the Flames’ right side this past season (and for parts of the past four seasons) and could make the easy transition back to the team. Veteran Deryk Engelland is also still available and could return to Calgary after three years with the Vegas Golden Knights, while Dalton Prout could return as a depth option after a one-year hiatus with the San Jose Sharks. If the Flames can move some salary to add a legitimate starter, the top free agent target would be Sami Vatanen. However, more realistic free agent options for Calgary’s budget in addition to Stone, Engelland, and Prout include Jan Rutta, Korbinian Holzer, Yannick Weber, Christian Folin, and Cody Goloubef.
Of course, if the Flames need to move out salary anyhow, the trade market may make more sense than merely signing a free agent. With a number of teams still scrambling to get their rosters set for next season under the shadow of the flat salary cap, there could be plenty of willing partners who might have a right side defenseman to spare in exchange for a similarly priced forward. Backup goaltender David Rittich, whose $2.75MM cap hit reflects a greater role than he will likely play behind big free agent addition Jacob Markstrom, could also be attractive to a number of teams still seeking a reliable backup.
One way or another, don’t be surprised if the Flames are not done making moves this off-season. Between their desire to add to the right side of the blue line and their need to clear cap space in order to complete the roster, Calgary is bound to be scouring the trade and free agent markets for a while longer.
Mark Giordano Wins Mark Messier Leadership Award
Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano was named the winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award Sunday, presented to the player who most exemplifies great leadership qualities both on and off the ice.
“This is a huge honor for me and my family,” Giordano said. “To have my name on an award, the Mark Messier Award … and knowing that (former Flames teammate) Jarome Iginla won this award as well, a guy that when I came into the League was my captain and my leader and learned so many great things from him on the ice, but more importantly off the ice, the way he treated people and acted in the community.”
Giordano worked with the Calgary Board of Education to support improved physical fitness and academics as well as playing a role in multiple other endeavors, including the Flames literacy program, the You Can Play Project and Calgary Pride Parade. On the ice, Giordano has been one of the team’s top defensemen for years, which includes winning the Norris Trophy last year.
Juuso Valimaki Unlikely To Re-Join Flames This Year
While there is an ever-growing list of players previously deemed to be out for the season that are now appearing likely to be available to their respective teams at some point in the upcoming expanded postseason, don’t expect young Calgary Flames defenseman Juuso Valimaki to join the trend. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reports that Valimaki, who has missed the whole 2019-20 season, is not likely to re-join the Flames in their qualifying round match-up with the Winnipeg Jets or at any point in the playoffs should they advance. The risk, both to the player and team, outweigh the potential gains in this situation and Francis does not believe that Calgary will take the chance.
Health continues to be the major issue at hand when it comes to Valimaki. The 21-year-old defenseman suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during off-season training last summer. He underwent surgery in late August. By all accounts, including that of Flames GM Brad Treliving, recovery and rehab from ACL reconstruction is ten months to a year. While Valimaki has been participating in voluntary skates with his teammates in Calgary, he has yet to be medically cleared by the team’s medical staff. If he is on pace for the latter end of that expected timeline, Valimaki would not be prepared for game action by the time the knockout round is set to begin and would have to prove he is up to the physical requirements of playoff hockey should the Flames advance.
However, the non-medical reason behind not playing Valimaki may be even more compelling. As Francis details, Calgary has more long-term, team building considerations to take into account in the form of the impending 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Assuming the Flames protect seven forwards and three defensemen in the draft, they would eliminate a very difficult decision if Valimaki does not play a game this season. The young blue liner used up his first season of pro competition as a rookie in 2018-19, but will not be credited with a year of service if he does not play this year. This would make him ineligible for draft exposure, as only those with more than two years of pro service may be selected. However, should Valimaki play even one game this year, he would require protection in next summer’s draft or otherwise would be picked off by Seattle. Francise believes that Flames defenders Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson are locks for protection and that Valimaki would be as well if eligible, leaving veteran captain and top defender Mark Giordano exposed and a very likely candidate to be selected.
Playing Valimaki this season is not worth that risk. The young defenseman is very talented but has not played competitive hockey in over a year and it is hard to imagine that his surgically reconstructed knee or even his conditioning would be ready for an immediate jump into postseason play. On top of that, the Flames have Giordano, Hanifin, Andersson, T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic, Oliver Kylington and Michael Stone to lean on, making Valimaki an expendable piece of this year’s playoff run, especially if it helps to maintain the roster for future title chances.
Nominees Announced For 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The award has been voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2019.
Past winners of the award include Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), Jaromir Jagr (2016), Devan Dubnyk (2015), Dominic Moore (2014) and Josh Harding (2013).
Below are the nominees from each team:
Anaheim Ducks – Ryan Miller
Arizona Coyotes – Conor Garland
Boston Bruins – Kevan Miller
Buffalo Sabres – Curtis Lazar
Calgary Flames – Mark Giordano
Carolina Hurricanes – James Reimer
Chicago Blackhawks – Corey Crawford
Colorado Avalanche – Ryan Graves
Columbus Blue Jackets – Nathan Gerbe
Dallas Stars – Stephen Johns
Detroit Red Wings – Robby Fabbri
Edmonton Oilers – Connor McDavid
Florida Panthers – Noel Acciari
Los Angeles Kings – Jonathan Quick
Minnesota Wild – Alex Stalock
Montreal Canadiens – Shea Weber
Nashville Predators – Jarred Tinordi
New Jersey Devils – Travis Zajac
New York Islanders – Thomas Hickey
New York Rangers – Henrik Lundqvist
Ottawa Senators – Bobby Ryan
Philadelphia Flyers – Oskar Lindblom
Pittsburgh Penguins – Evgeni Malkin
San Jose Sharks – Joe Thornton
St. Louis Blues – Jay Bouwmeester
Toronto Maple Leafs – Zach Hyman
Vancouver Canucks – Jacob Markstrom
Vegas Golden Knights – Shea Theodore
Washington Capitals – Michal Kempny
Winnipeg Jets – Mark Letestu
Three finalists and the winner will be named at a later date.
Connor McDavid, Others Give Thoughts On Playoffs
During this indefinite suspension of the 2019-20 season and the rest of the professional sports landscape, the NHL is working to stay relevant and provide some content for their fans around the world. One way they’ve done that is to provide player access to reporters by way of conference video calls, where they can give their thoughts on a variety of subjects. Today’s players were captains from the Pacific Division, including Connor McDavid, Mark Giordano, Bo Horvat and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The quartet of stars were asked how they would go about resuming play and whether the teams could step right into the playoffs once they’re allowed back on the ice. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet relays McDavid’s answer, which noted that a “fair season’s a full season” and poked fun at the Calgary-Edmonton rivalry.
Horvat, the captain of the Vancouver Canucks, agreed that in order for the season to be deemed “fair” more regular season games would have to be played. As Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press points out however, the Canucks are technically outside the playoff picture at the moment but would get a wildcard spot if the league decided to use points percentage to determine seeding.
While those two focused on how to maintain the season’s credibility, Giordano had a different take on the situation. The Flames’ captain is excited about the idea of the playoffs this year, noting that they would be extremely competitive because every team will be relatively healthy. The 36-year old defenseman has dealt with injuries of his own this season and knows exactly how much of a toll the playoffs can be on a player’s body.
It’s hard to know what the future holds for the NHL at this point, but if the playoffs do ever played you can bet it will be a tournament to watch closely. Not only will health be a factor, but players won’t have a lot of time to shake off the rust before they’re playing elimination games. It could be some of the most compelling hockey in a long time, but we’ll have to wait to find out if it even happens.
Calgary Flames Acquire Derek Forbort, Erik Gustafsson
You could bet when Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic went down for the Calgary Flames that the team called around on every available defenseman. Well, even though Giordano is set to return soon after being a full participant in practice again today, they’ve added some depth on the blueline. The team has acquired Derek Forbort from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2021 conditional fourth-round pick, and Erik Gustafsson from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2020 third-round pick. The Kings also retained 25% of Forbort’s contract.
The Flames have made moves like this in the past. Last year they added Oscar Fantenberg at the deadline to give them a little more depth on defense, and in 2017 it was Michael Stone coming in. Forbort and Gustafsson may come with even more excitement than those two, given their recent history. Forbort has been a partner of Drew Doughty, logging more than 20 minutes a night for the Kings in each of the previous three seasons. Injury stole most of this year, but he can be a reliable addition to a third pairing while the Flames work through injury.
It’s Gustafsson that brings the real intrigue however. Quietly the Blackhawks defender put up 17 goals and 60 points a season ago, and has established himself as a legitimate offensive threat. While his defensive work leaves something to be desired, the 27-year old could add a new dimension to the Flames.
Both players are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, explaining the relatively low costs. Some mid-round picks for the Kings and Blackhawks are just pieces to add to the cupboard as they both try to climb their way back to the top of the Western Conference.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Fenton, Hamonic
The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, and to no one’s surprise Elvis Merzlikins has received the top honor. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ goaltender went nearly 180 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal, posting two shutouts and a minuscule 0.67 goals against average. The 25-year old rookie now has a .930 save percentage on the season.
Second and third place go to more familiar faces, as Kyle Connor and Andrei Vasilevskiy take home the honors. The Winnipeg Jets forward had eight points last week and now is just two goals away from his third consecutive 30-goal season. Tampa Bay meanwhile has been on fire with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner showing exactly why he should never be counted out. Vasilevskiy now leads the league in wins with 29 after a slow start to the season and is all the way back up to a .918 save percentage.
- After being fired by the Minnesota Wild just 14 months into his tenure as general manager, Paul Fenton has found a new home. The long-time Nashville Predators assistant GM is working his way through the turn of the century expansion clubs, now taking a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets’ scouting department according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. Fenton has always been known as a strong judge of talent, but things quickly went south when he was put in charge of the Wild.
- Travis Hamonic has left the Flames and returned to Calgary for further testing according to Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. The defenseman left Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, complicating the upcoming trade deadline even further for the Flames’ front office. Hamonic was one of several defensemen that are on expiring contracts and could have been moved, but with captain Mark Giordano already out it will be hard to subtract from the Flames’ blue line at this point. The team has recalled Alexander Yelesin from the minor leagues.