Mark Giordano leaves Maple Leafs game against Coyotes with head injury

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano was injured in Thursday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes and didn’t return after falling into the boards with 9:12 remaining in the first period.

According to coach Sheldon Keefe, Giordano suffered a head injury, but wasn’t sure about the extent of it.

Giordano was in the midst of receiving a pass on a 2-on-1 when he slipped and fell head-first in the corner near the Coyotes’ net. Giordano needed assistance to get off the ice and went straight to the changeroom.

The score was 0-0 at the time.

The Leafs were forced to go with five defensemen the rest of the night, with William Lagesson, Giordano’s partner, bouncing around the lineup. If Giordano was to miss time, it would put a strain on a blueline that’s already missing Timothy Liljegren day-to-day, Conor Timmins long-term, and John Klingberg for the rest of the season. Max Lajoie and Marshal Rifai are among the defenders who have come up in spot duty

The 40-year-old defenseman has one goal, seven points and 33 penalty minutes through 37 games. He already missed 13 games with various injuries and another five games earlier this month after the passing of his father.

The oldest active NHLer, Giordano is in the final year of a two-year pact worth $800,000 per season. The Toronto, Ontario native has served as a veteran depth presence on a team that has had its ups and downs, defensively. Through it all, Giordano has had his own on-ice struggles but is still considered to be one of the leading voices in the team’s locker room.

Giordano won the Norris Trophy while captaining the Calgary Flames in 2018-19, registering a career-best 74 points in 78 games. His game fell off drastically after that, but he has had some solid stretches over the past few years with Calgary, Seattle and Toronto.

The Leafs entered Thursday’s contest with an 8-2-0 over the past 10 games. They’ll host the New York Rangers next on Saturday before battling Boston on Monday and the Buffalo Sabres on March 6. Toronto will travel to Boston March 7 for the club’s last game prior to the March 8 trade deadline.