Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign D Mark Giordano to extension (2 years, $800k AAV)

[ShaneFalco]

Awesome deal he was so quietly solid and would stick up for teammates

 

[BlueBaron]

Ohhh baby!

Welcome back GIO! Love the Spezza discount. I was thinking it was too much to hope for.

Bye Jake, you served us well.

 

[Stephen]

I think this opens up a Muzzin trade and you can also do some exploration on whether you can get an important piece for Sandin.

 

[Dreakmur]

Excellent signing in a vacuum, but I'm not sure I want the exact same blueline coming back next year.

 

[meefer]

Thanks Gio. Sign Spezza to a Marlies contract and he can be a player/coach, called up when needed, and added to the roster as a black ace.

 

[The Shrike]

Now sign PK to the same deal.

 

[Anthrax442]

Awesome deal he was so quietly solid and would stick up for teammates

Him and Lily were a good pair

 

[BigBlu]

This is a captain-worthy deal.

 

[supermann_98]

but.. but.. the gm overpays everyone..

Let's get rid of dubas now

Wow. Well done Dubas.

I love how Dubas gets all the credit for these guys wanting to play in their hometown their last couple year before retirement, where they were born and where their families live.

Credit to Dubas for bringing him in to begin with, he was great for the team and was an incredibly steadying influence on Liljegren and even made Holl look okay, but getting him to sign a team friendly contract? All that credit goes to Gio.

 

[OVO16]

From the same guy who broke this signing:

Thank God.

Love Spezza as a person but I was absolutely tired of forceful playing him on the 4th line because of fan pressure and that he's a "good Canadian boy".

Leafs need a different look in the bottom 6

 

[AustonMarner]

Pretty sure the Leafs will try and trade Muzzin this off season now with this signing

 

[Gabriel426]

No way, they are trading Muz. Both Gio and him forms two solid Defensive pairings.
I would resign or upgrade Boosh.
Train Lilly with Gio for the first half of the season and then try Lilly with Reilly and have Gio be bottom pairing with Boosh.

 

[OVO16]

Perron’s pretty good and is a winner

He aint leavin St. Louis

 

[123offtheglass]

Woo we’re pumped!

God bless Giordano, that’s an insanely good discount

 

[MagicalRazor]

Top notch singing for 800K this is a steal. Yeah he's old but he looked good Especially when he played with timothy liljegren I thought that a great pairing

 

[TheScandal89]

Thank God.

Love Spezza as a person but I was absolutely tired of forceful playing him on the 4th line because of fan pressure and that he's a "good Canadian boy".

Leafs need a different look in the bottom 6

Why not bring him back as the 13th forward, hes better then Simmonds or Clifford

 

[SeaOfBlue]

The problem is, a severe lack of physicality there. I really think we need at least two physical D men.

Phil Myers (if bought out) and Jan Rutta will likely be on the list, but once again, I think we'd need at least a 2nd to justify moving Holl right now... And other than Myers, I don't see anyone with even the potential to bring what Holl brought for 2 mill or less. Even Rutta will likely get slightly more than that unless he takes a discount.

The other option is going old with a Subban or Stralman, but do we want that many older players in our playoff lineup?

Muzzin/Gio/Brodie/Liljegren/Rielly have shown they can be capable PKers in the NHL, and Sandin can likely handle those duties as well, but I think you want another guy who can PK at a good level in that mix too. Lyubushkin has been one of the worst regular PKers in the league, albeit partially due to playing with ARI, but there is a reason why the Leafs never trusted him with PK minutes in the playoffs.

Of course, a more underrated addition: Colin Miller. How often has he been linked here through trade? 4 mill was too much for him but if we can sign him for half of that without giving up assets? He can PK, has a shot, and should be able to work well with any of our LD in the bottom 4. Not small and won't back down physically.

 

[Antropovsky]

I love how Dubas gets all the credit for these guys wanting to play in their hometown their last couple year before retirement, where they were born and where their families live.

Credit to Dubas for bringing him in to begin with, he was great for the team and was an incredibly steadying influence on Liljegren and even made Holl look okay, but getting him to sign a team friendly contract? All that credit goes to Gio.

The rumor was Gio wouldn't take a trade to any team but the Leafs at the deadline, I feel like in that case, it's again credit to Gio.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think this opens up a Muzzin trade and you can also do some exploration on whether you can get an important piece for Sandin.

Who is replacing Sandin though?

 

[Gabriel426]

Just realize PK is a UFA. Imagine him signing a 800k deal to play in TO

 

[IrishInOntario]

Holy crap, I was right, but it's even better than I thought!

 

[The Masters]

He’s basically playing for free.

Not a great deal. An awesome deal.

They needed this. Dubas a lot of work to do

 

[OVO16]

I see Sandin as a likely candidate of being involved in a trade for a top 6 forward (JT Miller?).

Friedman and Johnston both hinted that Leafs will try to make a bold move of some sort. It's not gonna be the core 4 players.

My guess is Sandin + for a big time forward

 

[Gabriel426]

The rumor was Gio wouldn't take a trade to any team but the Leafs at the deadline, I feel like in that case, it's again credit to Gio.

Let’s not take credits away from Dubas unless Gio asked for 750k, lol

 

[Stephen]

Who is replacing Sandin though?

In the age group, probably Niemela. On the pro team, it could be the Chychrun type add we get for Sandin himself.