It was one goal, but it represented so much more for Maple Leafs’ Mark Giordano

Credit: Mar 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano (55) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins (25) during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

He wasn’t even supposed to be on the ice.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs printed out their roster sheets and distributed them in the Scotiabank Arena press box hours before Thursday night’s home game against the Washington Capitals, Mark Giordano’s name was absent from each, as is customary for players designated for long-term injury reserve. He hadn’t suited up for a game since Feb. 29, when, on his fourth shift of the night, he was concussed after he lost an edge and crashed headfirst into the boards.

But there he was, stick pointing triumphantly to the rafters halfway through the first period, celebrating his second goal of the season after his perfectly placed wrister from the top of the circle beat Caps goaltender Charlie Lindgren. The goal meant so much, for so many reasons.

For one, yes, Giordano wasn’t even slated to rejoin the team hours earlier. While he’d been medically cleared, there simply wasn’t a roster opening for him. Not until, upon testing himself in the morning skate, Leafs blueliner Timothy Liljegren bowed out with an upper-body injury coach Sheldon Keefe said would cost him “some time.” Suddenly, Giordano felt the tap on his shoulder, and it was time to draw back in.

“Man, it’s crazy, because one week you can get down and feel like, ‘Aw, maybe I’m not going to get that opportunity anytime soon,’ and then it changes real quick,” Giordano said. “You try to stay ready, try to stay focused, and when you do get in, it’s important to try and make it count, because you want to show your teammates and the coaching staff that you’re ready.”

“You just feel good for him,” Keefe said. “It’s a big goal. It’s funny how these things work out. Came to the rink this morning, Gio wasn’t supposed to play. But as we know, Gio’s the ultimate professional, he’s worked extremely hard to get back and be ready, he’s been through a lot, and for that to go his way, [off the] post and in, all that, that was great and it’s a great start to get us going too.”

“The way he works on and off the ice, he’s been around a long time, and it’s great to see guys like that get rewarded for all the hard work,” said left winger Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored twice in Toronto’s 5-1 victory.

But ‘Gio’ didn’t just feel the lift because he immediately scored upon returning from a scary injury. That was very much on-brand. He showed up game-ready because he’s always been an excellently conditioned athlete. Back in his Calgary Flames days, he was regularly graded by the strength and conditioning staff as the strongest, fittest player on the team. It wasn’t a huge surprise to see the 2018-19 Norris Trophy winner make his mark quickly on Thursday night. What really made the goal special: that point to the heavens afterward. It was for Giordano’s father, Paul, who passed away suddenly in mid-February. Suffering a dangerous injury not even two weeks after losing his dad, Giordano really didn’t know when – or if – he’d get a chance to honor Paul. When you’re 40 years old still playing in the NHL, every injury or occurrence that takes you out of the starting lineup threatens to be your last. That made the goal and subsequent family tribute all the more meaningful Thursday night.

“It’s just something I promised I would do after my dad passed away if I scored,” Giordano said. “The way it was going, it looked like it might not happen, but it was nice to get that one.

“[My dad] was just a jokester, great guy, funny, easy to be around. We miss him. It was a tough little bit for the family, but we rally around each other like we have always, go from there and move on.”

As if that goal wasn’t loaded enough with context: Giordano also became the second-oldest Leafs blueliner to score an NHL goal at 40 years and 177 days old, bested only by Allan Stanley, whose last regular-season tally as a Leaf came at age 41 in November of 1967.

It’s a distinction one can only achieve in the true twilight of their playing career. Giordano, a UFA this summer, doesn’t have many games left, whether this season is his last or not. But the glass is half full when he reflects on greybeard-tier achievements.

“You can take those stats either way: You can feel old about them or you can feel like it’s a good accomplishment,” he said with a laugh. “I like to think it means you’ve been around a long time and you’ve played at a high level for a long time. So I’m extremely proud of those stats playing in my 40s.”

Giordano’s 1,141 games place him sixth among active NHL defensemen. And game No. 1,141 will probably rank among his most memorable.

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It was one goal, but it represented so much more for Maple Leafs’ Mark Giordano

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