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.
Doesn’t everybody and their brother say that staying in Kanata is a bad idea?
I’m from Kanada..they say I’m slow, eh?
@backhandinbaptist LOL!!! The answer is no! What’s wrong with this country? Can’t a man walk down the street without being offered a job?!
Uncle Eugene fears change. And, you know, putting more butts in seats at home games.
@thughand – Has he forgotten the massive extra revenue from those customized head-shaped paper bags? They can also muffle the boos if the mouth opening is extra small! :)
@backhandinbaptist – I would never call you slow…just deliberate! :)
Something was said, not good. What was it? Don’t yell at Homer? Nah, that’s okay. What was it… slow! They called you slow!
I feel like Calgary and Seattle are primed for a trade. Pick Lucic and leave Giordano alone, get Calgary’s 1st rounder and a mid-level prospect. That just seems fair and makes sense, at least to me.
There are other teams in the same competition to get rid of bad contracts. My guess is the asking price will be high as there are more sellers than buyers. Calgary will be in the same division which also lessens the likelihood. Imho Seattle would rather broker such a deal with a team out East.