When the 2021-22 NHL schedule came out, Mark Giordano undoubtedly noted Dec. 23.
That was to be the night the Seattle Kraken veteran would return to Calgary after spending 15 seasons there, including his final eight as the Flames’ captain.
But that game was one of many just before the holidays postponed because of COVID-19 concerns.
Instead, the 38-year-old Giordano, the Norris Trophy winner in 2019 as the NHL’s top defenseman, will make his return Saturday night. A video tribute and warm welcome are assured.
“It’s about playing with so many of those guys there for a long time and having great relationships,” Giordano said before scoring a goal and adding two assists Dec. 30 in a 6-4 loss to the Flames in Seattle. “So, it’s going to be cool playing against them. I think we’re all competitive, so we want to do well against each other. And obviously, I’m the same. So, it will be fun.”
There have been rumors that the Kraken, who are in last place in the Pacific Division, might entertain offers for Giordano before the league’s March 21 trade deadline.
Any number of contenders would be interested in a top-four blueliner, including the division-leading Flames.
“There’s a lot of things that come into play,” Giordano told The Athletic last week. “I can’t say, ‘Oh, I want to be out. I want to request a trade,’ or anything like that because I don’t. I truly love coming to the rink every day and I enjoy the team. But I also understand sometimes, there is a business side to this sport.
“I’m honestly going to cross that bridge right when it comes to it. I’m not going to make my mind up until I have a good honest conversation with (Kraken general manager Ron Francis).”
Giordano said he wants to play at least one more season.
“You definitely realize time is ticking when you get to my age,” Giordano said. “You only have so many more cracks at winning the Cup. That’s my goal from here on out in my career. It’s not about anything else but that. We’ll see how it all plays out.”
First-place Calgary, which is riding an eight-game winning streak during which it has outscored its opponents 37-13, would certainly seem to qualify as a Stanley Cup contender.
“We aren’t on the top of the roller coaster right now because we’ve won a bunch in a row,” Flames alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk told The Calgary Sun after practice Thursday, following a 6-2 victory against visiting Anaheim the previous night. “Even in this stretch, we’ve won a 1-0 game, we’ve scored six goals, we’ve played close games, not-so-close games, all that. And we’ve won ’em all, so we have to keep that going.”
The Kraken are coming off a 5-3 loss Thursday in Winnipeg in which they blew an early two-goal lead. They rallied to tie the score in the third period before allowing a pair of late goals, including an empty-netter with one second remaining.
Leading 2-0, the Kraken allowed a short-handed goal with 13 seconds left in the first period and the Jets tied it less than two minutes into the second.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said the short-handed goal had the effect of “flipping the script.” Alternate captain Jordan Eberle was even more direct in his assessment.
“The short-handed goal really deflated us. That can’t happen. That’s on me, that’s on other guys,” Eberle said. “You’ve got to know the circumstances and be on top of the game.”
–Field Level Media
