Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames has won the 2020 Mark Messier Leadership Award. Wayne Simmonds of the Nashville Predators won the award last season. The award is one of the few that did not have official finalists announced in advance this season. Elliotte Friedman announced the award’s recipient late Sunday afternoon.
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Mark Giordano Wins Mark Messier Award
Giordano had another quality season in 2019-20 even if it was a significant drop from 2018-19. The 36-year-old scored five goals and 31 points in 60 games. He scored 17 goals and 74 points in 78 games on his way to the Norris Trophy last season. The points weren’t as easily found this season but Calgary struggled more on offence in general. The veteran defender was still the most productive blueliner on the team by almost 10 points. He also helped anchor the team’s penalty-killing unit and posted a team-high 148 blocks.
Giordano has been with the Flames for his entire career but was not drafted. He played for the Owen Sound Attack as a Canadian junior and debuted for Calgary in 2005-06. His first real season came in 2006-07 when he scored seven goals and 15 points in 48 games. Overall, Giordano has 134 goals and 483 points in 893 regular-season games. He also has six seasons receiving votes for the Norris Trophy and one all-star game to his credit.
What This Means
There is no doubt that Giordano is one of the most respected figures in the current NHL. He has produced consistently despite being overlooked as a junior player and has outperformed dozens of more highly-regarded defenders. The numbers don’t do justice to what Giordano does on the ice to lead his team year after year. This award is a fantastic recognition of the veteran’s contributions to both his team and community. He certainly embodies the spirit of leadership that Messier provided in his long NHL career.
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