With the first wave of free agency over and most top-level free agents off the board, only a few valuable players are pending signing a new deal during the off-season.
NHL analyst Steve Silverman thinks the reigning champions Florida Panthers can fix some of their roster needs by signing former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano.
Although Giordano will turn 41 years old in October, he just became a free agent on July 1 and plans to keep playing hockey for at least another year. Silverman wrote an article at Clutch Points advising the Panthers to sign the veteran.
“One of the players (Florida Panthers GM Barry) Zito must consider is defenseman Mark Giordano,” Silverman wrote. “Giordano is a solid veteran defenseman who has played 18 years in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and Seattle Kraken. At the age of 40, Giordano is no longer at his peak, but he understands the position and he can still play a tough, physical game. Giordano has seen it all throughout his career, and he would be a solid player for a strong team like the Panthers.
“There are other players Zito can consider before the start of training camp, but Giordano understands the nuances of winning hockey and would be (a) solid free agent acquisition.”
Giordano appeared in 46 games for the Leafs during the 2023-24 season. He scored 3 goals and assisted 6 more for 9 total points in his age-40 season.
Panthers Won the Stanley Cup But Lost Key Performers
The Panthers had a remarkable 2023 season, beating the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes, but ultimately they fell short of winning the Cup falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in the finals.
A year later, the Panthers finally hoisted the Stanley Cup beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 and finally getting over the hump a year after testing those waters.
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However, the Panthers inevitably suffered some losses in free agency because of the NHL hard-cap constraints. General manager Bill Zito and coach Paul Maurice will have to work without two of their best defensemen next year, including Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Two-way defenseman Montour signed with the Seattle Kraken. Ekman-Larsson, who had a bounceback season in Florida, signed with the Maple Leafs after spending time with the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks before playing for the Panthers.
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As of mid-July, the Panthers face financial constraints with slightly above $87 million committed to next season’s roster with 22 of 23 players signed.
According to PuckPedia, the Panthers only have around $766,000 left in cap space. That might be enough to sign Mark Giordano to a veteran minimum-salary deal during the remainder of the offseason.
Maple Leafs’ Mark Giordano Wants to Extend His Career
Giordano’s agent Ritchie Winter spoke to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star right before free agency started on July 1 and confirmed Giordano’s plans to keep playing hockey next season.
“Mark has made the decision that he’s playing for a few more years,” Winter said. “He feels very confident. He’s been talking to a lot of people who tell him: Don’t quit until they make you… He clearly wants to play.”
Giordano entered free agency on July 1 following the completion of a two-year, $1.6 million deal signed with Toronto in 2022.
The 40-year-old defenseman entered the NHL as an undrafted free agent. He debuted with the Calgary Flames in the 2005-06 season and has appeared in 1,148 regular season games. Giordano has played for the Flames, Kraken, and lastly the Leasf.
Most recently, during a three-year stint in his native Toronto, he played 144 games scoring 9 goals and assisting 36 for 45 total points. Giordano is a one-time All-Star and also won the 2020 Mark Messier Leadership Award.
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Panthers Asked to Sign Former Maple Leafs, Star Defenseman