Ahead of the 2024–25 season, former Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano is still unsigned. What Comes Next for the Ex-NHL Player?
With the 2024–25 NHL season approaching, concern regarding the future of Toronto native and former Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano has been sparked by his unsigned status.
Giordano declared in late June that he would play professional hockey again the following year. Rich Winter, his agent, informed Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star that Mark had decided to continue playing for a few more years. He exudes confidence. Many of the people he has spoken to advise him to “don’t quit until they make you.”Giordano is 40 years old, thus he is past the prime of signing big, long-term contracts. But his wish to play for “a few more years” suggests he still has the motivation and desire to make an impact on the ice.
It’s obvious that he wants to play, stated Winter.In a deal with the Seattle Kraken in March 2022, the Leafs obtained Giordano and Colin Blackwell in addition to two second-round picks (2022, 2023) and a third-round selection in 2024. Giordano eventually re-signed with the Leafs on a two-year $1.6 million contract with a $800,000 yearly cap charge. The Kraken kept 50% of Giordano’s $6.75 million contract for the 2021–2022 season.
Since then, the agreement has ended at the end of the 2023–2024 season.The five blueliners that were unrestricted free agents when free agency opened for the Leafs were Giordano, Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lybushkin, T.J. Brodie, and John Klingberg. Among them, Lyubushkin signed a three-year, $9.75 million contract with the Dallas Stars, Edmundson signed a four-year, $15.4 million agreement with the Los Angeles Kings, and Brodie signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Giordano and Klingberg are still unsigned.It’s significant that every name on the list is either unsigned or has been signed outside of Toronto.
On July 1, the Leafs decided to take a different defensive turn, making two significant splashes. The team signed Oliver Ekman Larsson, 33, to a four-year, $14 million contract, and Chris Tanev, 34, to a six-year, $27 million deal. The Leafs also reportedly signed Finnish defenseman Jani Hakanpaa to a two-year, $3 million contract, though this has not been confirmed.It’s safe to state that the club has updated and reorganized its backend. The Leafs have seven defensemen on their roster that are signed until 2024–25.
