Gear’s Grades: Maple Leafs get two useful pieces in Mark Giordano trade
The Trade
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Mark Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell from the Seattle Kraken for Toronto’s 2022 second-round pick, 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-round pick. Seattle agreed to retain 50 percent of Giordano’s contract.
Toronto Maple Leafs analysis
After 1,004 regular season games, Mark Giordano is finally going home. The Leafs have definitely upgraded their defense by acquiring Gio, who is still reliable and effective at 38 years young. He is a proven leader, having captained the Flames and Kraken, and although he doesn’t have much playoff experience himself, the intangibles are there. He also has past chemistry with former Flame and current Leaf defenseman T.J. Brodie. The Leafs moved out Travis Dermott earlier in the day and are still missing the injured Jake Muzzin, so Giordano will be counted on to be a significant part of Toronto’s D-corps down the stretch and into the playoffs. Unlike most of the other Eastern Conference teams that made trades this week, the Leafs didn’t have to give up a first-round pick to get their man, which was important to the Leafs after the failed surrender of their first-rounder last year for Nick Foligno. The best part of this trade may be the Leafs getting Colin Blackwell thrown into the deal. Don’t sleep on Blackwell – he is a very effective and pesky forechecker with a bargain-basement $725,000 cap hit and more offense than he gets credit for. He has 49 points in 119 NHL games, including 17 in 39 this year. That’s 0.44 points per game, not too shabby for a bottom-six player. I think he is underrated and will be a solid contributor for the Leafs in their playoff push. Given what teams had to give up to get Ben Chiarot, Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm earlier in the week, and considering that Seattle retained 50 percent of Giordano’s contract, the Leafs fared very well to keep the return to three picks for two good players.
Gear’s Grade: A
Seattle Kraken analysis
Giordano served the Kraken well as their first-ever captain, but it was a no-brainer for Seattle to part with the aging star and focus on their future. Using their expiring deals and ample cap space to amass picks and prospects now should be the No. 1 priority for a team that has very few assets in its farm system. Giordano wasn’t likely to fetch a first-round pick, so getting two second-rounders and a third is a nice win for the league’s newest franchise. Add that to the three picks they secured for Calle Jarnkrok earlier in the week, and the Kraken can start to cook with gas. The return for Giordano would have been better if the Kraken had secured a young prospect who was closer to stepping in and playing for them at the NHL or AHL level, but the picks are still a good start. I am a little perplexed at why Blackwell was included and why the return wasn’t a little bit higher because of his inclusion. I suspect Toronto was one of the few teams vying for Gio’s services and demanded Blackwell as the sweetener to get the Leafs up to two second-rounders, plus the third-round pick for the retention of half his salary. Considering the giant returns we have seen this week for rental defensemen (and even for Jarnkrok), this wasn’t a home run for Seattle, but it’s a solid ground rule double that puts more runners in scoring position.
Gear’s Grade: B
Be sure to check out our Trade Tracker for up-to-date information on all of the deals made on NHL Trade Deadline Day.