Mark Giordano, Seattle Kraken.
A day before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, the Seattle Kraken dealt Mark Giordano to the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the receiving end, the Kraken now have three more draft picks. They can utilize these picks to build their team over the next three years.
There is some debate as to whether Seattle could have secured a first round pick from Toronto. Especially considering earlier in the week, the Montreal Canadiens received one in the Ben Chiarot trade. Nevertheless, Seattle is three draft picks richer. This breathes a lot of hope into their future.
It was not a surprise that Giordano found his way onto the trade block. There has been plenty of speculation from fans that he might return to the Calgary Flames. Instead, he will spend the spring chasing a Stanley Cup Championship in his hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
While it is sad to see the first captain in Seattle Kraken history go, he wanted the chance to compete for a cup this spring. In his extensive hockey career, the 38-year-old defenseman has won his share of hardware. However, the Stanley Cup has always eluded him.
Being drafted by Seattle gave him a chance to lead the charge and help build something successful in the Pacific North. Unfortunately, the Kraken never found their footing like Vegas did when they entered the league. Likely nearing the end of his career, it is only fair that he be given a chance to raise the most coveted trophy amongst NHL teams.
To the Toronto Maple Leafs: Mark Giordano and Colin Blackwell
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a plethora of talented forwards. In recent years, their lack of defense has been their downfall in getting past the first round. Adding Gio to their blueline rapidly improves that weakness.
Giordano’s presence on the ice will help sharpen up the Maple Leafs at 5v5 and on the penalty kill. It is likely that he will slide into Toronto’s shutdown pairing. Who he will play alongside is still up in the air. Former Calgary teammate and linemate T.J. Brodie seems like the most obvious fit. The two have good chemistry, and building off of that could be a huge breakthrough for Toronto’s defense.
Slotting in alongside Justin Holl is another option. Their playing styles suit one another and would allow Brodie and Morgan Rielly to build off the success and chemistry they found together over the last two seasons. Regardless of where he plays, he will take a lot of pressure off Brodie and Rielly’s shoulders.
The Maple Leafs also acquired Colin Blackwell in their trade with the Seattle Kraken. The center got off to a slow start this season but found success alongside Yanni Gourde and Mason Appleton.
He is a smaller forward but makes up for it with his admirable work ethic and versatility. Where he will fit in among the Toronto Elite will be interesting, but he is sure to be a solid piece for the team that has been chasing the cup since 1968.
Toronto had to do a bit of roster shuffling to make room for Gio and Blackwell, including offloading Travis Dermott‘s contract. However, Seattle will retain 50% of Giordano’s salary, which will help Toronto with its limited salary cap situation.
To the Seattle Kraken: 2022 second round pick, 2023 second round pick, 2024 third round pick.
As mentioned previously, there are some critics who believe Giordano should have snagged the Kraken a first round draft pick. However, what’s done is done, and the Kraken ended their day with three more draft picks over the next 3 seasons than they had before.
With the addition of the 2022 second round pick and the 2022 second round pick acquired from the Nashville Predators in the Jeremy Lauzon trade, the Seattle Kraken have 11 draft picks going into the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Adding the 2023 second round pick and 2024 third round pick brings the Kraken’s total over the next three seasons to 32 draft picks, 16 of those in the first three rounds.
After a dismal inaugural season, the best way for the Seattle Kraken to fix things going forward is by building a solid prospect pool through the draft and being active in free agency.
While Gio was set to be a free agent in the summer, trading him allows the Kraken to have more flexibility in the summer with signing free agents and also gives them more draft capital at the end of the day.
How do you feel about the Mark Giordano trade?