Mark Giordano has made an instant impact on the Maple Leafs’ blue line since Toronto traded three draft selections to Seattle in a deal that also brought forward Colin Blackwell north of the border. Giordano’s on-ice performance has given the Leafs 5-on-5 offensive numbers a significant bump, 76% of expected goals and 83% of high-danger chances.
Video Transcript
TICTACTOMAR: I think Mark Jordan has been the best Leafs trade debt trade deadline acquisition in a long time. I know you can kind of throw Ilya Lyubushkin and Jake Muzzin into that category. But as far as players the Leafs got within that window, he’s been the best, right? I mean, Brian Boyle, Tomas Plekanec, Nick Foligno last season– I mean, they had their ups and downs and stuff in the lineup. But Giordano has literally been everything advertised.
Ahead of the deadline, people always say like, oh, the Leafs should get this player because they’ll add this and this and this to the line up. And when Giordano was linked to the Leafs, people like, oh, he would add veteran leadership and maturity and poise and stabilize the blue line and be a good mentor for the young defensemen.
And he literally has been all of that. He’s been solid. He’s been secure. He’s very poised– veteran presence. He reversed a penalty. And considering how bad officiating has been the last little while, that’s just mind blowing.
And he’s been an incredible mentor for Liljegren. I mean, I love watching them play together. It’s like, the chemistry that they’ve gotten has been so quick. And again, it’s made Liljegren a better player. He’s getting more physical. He’s stepping up in the play. He’s not taking any garbage from anyone. And then Giordano is just doing his thing.
The eye test is one thing. But just the numbers– like, look at this tweet for example. I feel like I’m Vince McMahon in the Vince McMahon meme– like, 70% expected goals? That’s insane! But everything matches, the eyes and the stats, they match. When Giordano is on the ice, the Leafs are better. They’re dangerous. He keeps the puck in the zone. He literally cuts off so many players whether it’s along the boards, in the neutral zone.
He winds up shots. He sets up plays. He shoot for deflections. He does everything. And it’s just like, wow. Usually we have to sit back and wait. Maybe the new acquisition will have an off game here and an off game there. But Giordano has been incredible these last three games. And I don’t see it slowing down. And with him playing well and maybe Jake Muzzin coming back for the lineup, I mean, I think the Leafs blue line looks pretty solid going into the playoffs.