The Seattle Kraken has reportedly traded Mark Giordano and Colin Blackwell to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The details on the full trade will be updated as announced.
Per what I’m told, an update on the reported @MapleLeafs and @SeattleKraken trade for Giordano and Colin Blackwell ; The @MapleLeafs are doing some salary cap gymnastics to make the money work for this deal to go final. @espn @NHLNetwork #HockeyTwitter
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) March 20, 2022
Colin Blackwell, Mark Giordano Traded From Seattle Kraken
Not even one year into being selected as captain for the newly minted Seattle Kraken, Giordano is on the move. The Kraken captain had previously spent his entire 15-year career with the Calgary Flames. But the longtime Flames defenceman was left unprotected in the expansion draft, and Seattle didn’t hesitate to select him.
It was all sunshine and rainbows when general manager Ron Francis introduced the stalwart defenceman to the fans of the Rainy City. Giordano was billed as the face of the Kraken. It was hoped he’d use his veteran leadership to quickly navigate this young franchise from its birth into the NHL to the Stanley Cup Finals, the way the Vegas Golden Knights had.
But that wouldn’t be the case. The Kraken was not built the same way Vegas was and, as a result, they immediately stumbled out of the gates this season. With the hopes for a playoff appearance squashed many weeks ago now, the Kraken is now looking ahead to the draft. A selection in the top 10 surely awaits Seattle.
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What Does Giordano Bring To His New Team
Mark Giordano, who went undrafted when he entered the NHL back in 2005, has only played in 23 playoff games. He has never been out of the first round (unless the best-of-five “play-in” in the bubble is counted) and has been swept twice.
Now no one can’t put all those playoff failures on him. But it does leave a small sample size for what Giordano can bring to the table in the playoffs. What we do know is Giordano is a competitor and a leader. He is a winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award and Norris Trophy winner. And like any NHLer, he is chomping at the bit to play for the Stanley Cup. At 38 years of age, this may be his last chance to play for the Cup. So he will be highly motivated to play his best hockey this spring.
Giordano has six goals and 23 points in 55 games. Giordano carries a cap hit of 6.75 million and is a UFA at the end of the season.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
