OverDrive - Giordano on his career around the league, the trade deadline experience and the Maple Leafs' team additions

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

Longtime NHL Defenseman Mark Giordano joined OverDrive to discuss his experience playing in the league, joining TSN for TradeCentre coverage, the perspective of the trade deadline and the deal to the Maple Leafs, Toronto's priorities for the roster, the contenders for the season, the best players he's faced in his tenure and more.

Lights camera action the 2025 Juno Awards are hitting Vancouver on March 30th and IHAR radio is your ticket to the stars Hosted and performance by Michael Pooble Plus a final performance by Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees some 41 and more you can win an IHAR radio Experience with tickets flights and a three-night stay at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Head online to answer the Daily Junos trivia question at iheartradio.ca. There he is, looking good too, Mark Giordano. What's up, Gio, how you doing, man?

I'm doing well, doing well. Great to see you, great to see you. Yeah, is that your A-suit? I put one of my A-suits on for you guys, first time in, so I figured I'd try and look as good as I could. How did your suit game develop throughout your career? Like rookie compared to you know Norris season did you feel like you had to bring more to the table when you were really under the spotlight or what? Yeah I think rookie season I might have been wearing like some of my dad's old suits

and baggy pants. Yeah Randy River, Jack Frazier. Definitely not fitted, and then as I got older, you know, started getting fitted suits, tighter pants and nicer shoes, and then towards the end of my career, I actually had a nice suit deal with a company in Toronto here, Tilly Monroe, and credit to them for all my suits now. There you go. They dress me up nice. I always find that funny when you see like flashbacks of kids when they come into the league and

if you could tell they've just got a suit right off the rack naturally maybe don't have the money yet not established and then in their primes they're just like decked out with a suit. Keep in mind he started in Calgary he had Darrell Sutter with a sweater vest on. Right well a lot of the coaches they have brutal suit games like there are some coaches in the league awful soon i will say the guy behind the bench in toronto now his suit game is a lot better i don't know what ruby

but the city was where the other night i'm like that is not from cali who alberta right that is the size of the time to try on a suit at the Toronto and i got fine actually might one of my first years in the league for wearing the guys didn't I thought they were dress shoes but the guys deemed that they weren't dress shoes and they find me 500 bucks or something for it so your teammates did that my teammates are like you cannot be wearing those shoes unacceptable unacceptable and it was too late I was

on the road I had no way to get back home and change him so I took the fine. Well we were talking about Ovechkin, OV walking on the plane with like a subway bag, bag of chips, his hairs everywhere. I guess like no one's finding him in Washington, no one's gonna say anything to him naturally. But the rules on the plane like the fact that you guys are supposed to wear suits, like is that generally the case throughout the league like in the NHL that you're supposed to wear your suit even when you're on the plane like the fact that you guys are supposed to wear suits like is that generally the case throughout the league like in the NHL that you're supposed to wear your suit even when you're on the plane? It's changed. It has? Okay because I

was of the impression that was the case back in the day like you had to wear a suit all the time. There was two rules you don't take a dump on the plane unless you have to and then the other one was you know you you got to be presentable even on the plane Yeah, you know cameras or anything, but that has changed that's what you're telling us. Yes It's just transitioned into track suits for the most part, which is like it just makes sense Yeah, because you don't see anybody you get on your own plane and then you get right to the hotel and it's changed But I remember noodles I don't know if if you remember but we used to have to wear suits like even to dinner on the road

Yeah, we we you couldn't leave the hotel without wearing a suit now you can wear nice jeans and a nice shirt, but Before you'd have to wear a suit everywhere, right? When you're on the road and was that like the owner or the gm that would mandate that gm's decision But it could get kind of dicey and grimy right if guys wore the same suit the whole trip It was there is a few things that we take decision but it could get kind of dicey and grimy right if guys wore the same suit the whole trip it was one suit for a 10-day trip you know but for the most part though it was all about presenting yourself right like you're representing the team but I like the track suit thought process guys back in the day you wear your suit you get on the plane and guys are just stripping

down anyways yeah because you're icing you're doing whatever you got to do on the trip, especially after a game. So it does make sense to have the track suits. But on the road, you should be able to change into jeans, you should be able to look normal and casual. But you're right, it was. When we played together, it was suits. Yeah. You had to wear a suit. Even go to a movie the night before the game, you're all a bunch of idiots sitting in suits. Yeah to wear a suit even a movie the night before the game You're all you're just sitting in that to me would have like the reverse effect where people would look at you Like what are you doing in a suit? Yeah, like to your point you're at a movie. It's like we get it

You're a professional athlete. Yeah, you don't have to wear a suit or 30 movie in Boston You're like in a suit right exactly before they just me stick out and like yeah Like a guy like a superstar like Crosby or something Yeah, you don't want to get noticed and all of a sudden you're you're in a suit Someone's looking at you like why you're wearing a suit and they make you pick them off even easier I would think you know you can thank COVID too, right? Cuz look at the NBA coaches used to have to wear suits every game and now they're all in and they'll never go back They'll never go back. Like we interviewed Nick Nurse

and I asked him about that, I think by 21 or 22. So like, what's the plan here? Because we understood it in the bubble. Everyone's kind of, it's a different world right now and you're more comfortable, you can't leave. Everyone's doing the golf shirt thing. And Nick was adamant that he didn't want it to return. And he's a relatively young coach in the league.

So if he's pushing that, and the older guys in the league, like pop or whoever were cool with it too, it was never going to go back. And now it likely never will. Probably never will. Like now they love a quarter zip in the NBA, man. But Torz. Love it. Torz is trying for the NHL.

Yes he is. We had Danny Brieira on the show and he said he lets the coaches dress the way they want, but they have to look the same. So they're all kind of wearing like- Like a uniform almost. Yeah, it's almost almost like a uniform but it's like three-quarter zip like hoodies. Yeah. Which I don't mind. Like I always felt it was weird for the coach. Why does a coach have to stand back there in a suit? I think it's classy though man. I like it during the game. I do too. I like it during the game. I do too. I think the staff's got to look pretty presentable. Professional right right? We work with Bruce Boudreaux a little bit.

Like his suit, look, it's hanging on by a thread. But what's Brucey wearing if you go, Bruce, you can wear anything you want. That guy's got a tucked-in t-shirt. And he's Belichick. Cut off sleeves and a hoodie. That's the problem is who takes advantage of the situation, right? Because the suits are, a lot of people will tell you, like it's easier because you just,

you know you gotta wear a suit. Like you don't have to put any thought into it, I'm just gonna get this suit and that's what I'm wearing, I gotta tie up my tie and I'm going. Where if you allow for them to go anywhere, some guy could really take advantage of that. Well it's interesting, right? This week we just saw the Yankees relax that really old george steinbrenner military school rule

about no beards on right here there's one team in north american pro sports that i'm aware of that has any sort of rule on grooming and told lose we ask the islanders right now and i was yellow sign coming off the last the last stand of lou Lamarello. Yep.

But he was part owner, I think, at one point of the Yankees. Like, he was involved in that group. A lot of people credited the fact that he and Steinbrenner were really good friends. The late Steinbrenner, not the Steinbrenner. George Steinbrenner. George, the late George. They were good buddies and kind of had a similar look on life. And so the Yankees' beard ban was a big inspiration for Lou

instituting that with the devils and he still carries it on. And do you think, Gio, that guys in this league, in the NHL, because the Yankees removed it because they were worried they weren't gonna get players. They were worried that, hey, if do I have to shave my beard is the first question a free agent asks,

they're worried about that. Have you heard many guys say, I'm not going to the islanders or I'm not going to buy I came because I don't want I want to wear a beer. Yeah, I don't know. I I haven't heard that but like Guys like burns II. I don't know. I guess Brent burns can't do it man. I mean for me too like you got to shave every day if you want to be clean shaver you gotta shave every day if you want to be clean shaven right? some of us it's not because you don't want to be clean shaven it's just like oh my god you know after a 3 a.m. road trip you come home that you gotta wake up the next morning early to shave like I don't know but I haven't heard many guys saying that I think at the end of the day what you do it if you have to but

it's like I haven't seen guys I haven't seen guys like Bogosian and Bernsey or anything like that go and play for the Islanders not gonna work for them. Keep in mind Anthony Duclair they gave him five million dollars a year you take the fight like he could have said oh I'm gonna take less money somewhere else or I'll cut my hair whatever he ended up doing I can't remember. I think it was his hair. Cut off his hair, I believe. Yeah, so I mean. Yeah, you get offered, well, I mean, that's the thing.

It's a one-off, it is unique to Lou. It's not the end of the world for anybody, but it is unique to them. Mark Giordano joining us here in studio. So March 7th, trade deadline, next Friday, big day around here, big day around the NHL, and I guess we're making this announcement on behalf of TSN. Gio, you're gonna be a part of our coverage. You're gonna be in there that day, it's gonna be a great day. We're

excited, I know the whole company, everyone at TSN is Jack to have you here. Take us through what you're expecting, being a part of this for the first time. Well, it's kind of cool to be on the other side of it to be honest. I think even being here today like always watching from you know tv and stuff you get a different feel for sure you get a different feel of how everything works but that day I think from what I've heard from everyone here it'll be a little more chaotic and it's going to be cool. I just want to give a little bit of my sort of experiences and insight into like what goes on on that day from Maybe from a players point of view and

You know for some guys, it's really nerve-racking for other guys It's exciting some guys want to get get get out of dodge and some guys like are nervous because they don't want to move their family, so just give my insights and I think it'll be a fun day and Have a lot of familiar faces around here that I know you know starting off with noodles and Oh Dog so we'll go from there and see how it is I just want to try it out yeah it's gonna be great Mark Giordano again it'll be a big part of our trade deadline coverage here on TSN and think about it as teammates like nowadays guys find out they get traded from the insiders from the ticker and stuff,

because everything happens so quickly. That's the biggest challenge. I'm trying to remember, on any deadline, were you a little nervous going, are you more just, hey, what's my team bringing in? I remember being nervous one year in Calgary when we were in the middle of a rebuild, sort of, and I was like, I wasn't an older guy, but I was getting up there. I'd been there for a bunch rebuild sort of and I was like I wasn't an older guy but I was getting up there I'd been there for a

bunch of years and I was like you know what like I might have some value to the team if I get traded I wanted to stay there obviously I remember being nervous one year but the year that I did get traded from Seattle to Toronto I was excited I'm not gonna lie like I we were a non-playoff team I was excited. I'm not gonna lie. Like I we were a non playoff team. I was older I felt like throughout my career. I never got that like like that those opportunities like we were in a rebuilding Calgary for a bunch of years I wanted to play in playoffs so Obviously I was excited to get traded and then coming home was just an added bonus right to a great team. So There's different spectrums. I? Like guys are, some guys are really nervous. Some guys are like antsy to get out of where they are. So it all depends

on your situation, I guess. So are you calling your agent generally or would at any point you feel like you had the ability or the comfort with a GM, like to call your GM and say, can you lay it on the line for me? What should I be expecting here? So Ron Francis was unbelievable in Seattle. And about a month before the deadline, I think he just, we had a meeting. We were on the road and he said, come down for breakfast.

And basically he said, Jill, you know, you know, where's your mind at? And I told him, honestly, I said, you know, Ronny, I have a lot of respect for you and the organization for naming me captain. And I felt that part I felt guilty about, but I said, you know Ronnie I have a lot of respect for you and the organization for naming me captain And I felt that I part I felt guilty about but I said, you know what Ronnie? I really want to play in playoffs and he he said, okay, I'm gonna work on making a move and I think it was like two or three weeks later. He traded me So I have a lot of respect for him obviously in Seattle for that. Yeah, that's pretty good

I mean so at what point did you know it was Toronto? I mean, you get the call and it's like, or immediately it gets announced and your phone just blows up because you're coming home. Yeah. So I had a lot of interest, I guess, from the Eastern Conference that year for some reason. I think there was a few teams kicking around and Toronto was one of the names. Once I heard their name, I was like was like okay that'd be pretty cool like going back home at the end and

having a legit shot of playing on a contender and actually it was funny I was I was at the rink on a day off and I was in the steam room and I come out of the steam room and one of the trainers is Ronnie wants to talk to you and I'm like Ronnie I'm like what's he doing here and anyways he came down and he broke the trade to me I didn't find out from anyone else I found out directly from him which was cool and then as soon as he told me they sort of announced it later and yeah the phone just goes the phone just goes wild for about 48 hours that transition into the new room like especially with a team like the Leafs you're from the Toronto area grew up loving the Leafs

You know you would have played in that building so many different times, but you've been in the West your whole career. Yeah What was the biggest challenge for you like walking into a room with established veterans good team? Everyone knows who you are you've been in the league for so long But what did you feel you had to do to kind of set a tone like all right I'm here I feel comfortable I'm gonna be a part of this ride. Yeah I think I think I had been in the league for long enough where I think guys I knew a lot of guys like walking into their room wasn't intimidating at all I think it was nerve-racking that first game where it

was here in Toronto playing Jersey like it was nerve-racking for sure. I think more for me it was like, you want to make sure you make a good impression on your teammates. But, you know, I'd known Johnny for a long time. I'd known Mo for a long time. I mean, I felt like it wasn't intimidating at all in that sense. But it was intimidating in the fact that I was like, you know, you've got to come and perform there. They traded two second round picks for you.

You feel that little expectation for sure. Right, Mark Giordano with us. So at what point did you have to draw a line for Floater Central for tickets and stuff like that? I mean like- We're all right away. Like, established like there's no free tickets or I can't, I mean because there would be people coming out of the woodwork being like, I was in grade seven with you and can you get me four behind the glass? Like I experienced

it in Alberta. I can't imagine coming to this market with how hot this ticket is. Like what do you have to do? Just set some parameters? You know what it's always, it's funny because it's always people who you would never expect to ask for a ticket, who are the ones who come out of the woodwork, and friends and family, no, they get it. They've been around you long enough, they're like, I'm not asking this guy for a $600 ticket every night, you know what I mean? But it's always the most random people, and I mean, at that point, you just, you either hit the decline or the A-bar and flush. Yo, flush. Nice to see ya. See ya later.

Um, well, you're obviously still close, you know, close to the team, following the team closely as we get closer to the trade deadline. You're gonna be asked this a lot, I'm sure on March 7th. We might as well get out in front of it. Do you have, you know, an idea of what you think Brad Tree Living should be attacking? Like if you

could add the perfect piece for the Leafs, do you have anything in mind? Yeah, I was sort of like going through the roster actually knowing that I was coming on here today and just looking at it, I think he'll probably look at a center man. I think Braden Shen's names come up and I really like Scott Lawton.

I trained with him in the summer from Philly. His names come up, but I was kind of wondering looking at the roster, just if you wouldn't take a look at like a right-handed center man they don't really have a righty through the middle and you know that right-handed center man sometimes gives you that that big advantage in the D zone draws on their strong side it's you know sometimes you as a coach you can throw two center men so I don't know if he would look at that or not but I would assume like that butte's that is a player is a track yeah and then on D like their D's been good I think the goal-tending has been solid their team game has been been

really solid in my opinion but I don't know Shen or Luke Shen on the back end like him and Moe gelled so well I was looking at that one the other day too, and I was like, you almost have to look at it, right? Because they played so well together in that playoffs the one year. But they got a good thing going, I think, especially with the goal tending looking so great. I mean, I think they're playing a really good style, North-South, like harder to play against style this year.

And I know, you you know I know Tree knowing Tree he'll be in and on everything like he'll look into everything but I I think he's really aware that you don't want to you know you want to tweak but you don't want to make too many changes where it disrupts what what they have going. Mark what's the balance we've been talking a lot this year about the secondary scoring and the need for it obviously they got it on the weekend you know Marner and Matthews didn't have to do the heavy lifting and scoring off the back end, right? They got some on the weekend McCabe and OEL's time in with goals. They've been few and far between they've been among

If not the last they've been right at the bottom of the league in terms of offensive production from the D Morgan's not having the kind of year Morgan Riley that he normally has. Is there like an argument to be made that playing this Borubei style, the North Coast style that they're trying to play makes it tougher for the D to contribute or how are you viewing that? Maybe a little, but I think maybe not taking as much risk in your game. But I don't think too much. I think more so like they've been running a five forward power play for a long time like as an offensive defenseman, like I, you know, I was there way back in my career,

but you get a lot of your points and your goals in the power play. You really do as an offensive defenseman. So that hurts, that'll hurt a guy like Mo a bit. But yeah, they're playing way more direct, I feel like, and I feel like they're not taking the high risk. When they're down a goal, down two goals, what I'm seeing this year is they're sticking with their game. They're not taking the starting to play run and gun and high risk and all that. It's translating into a better team game, in my opinion.

Yeah. Well, listen, it's interesting with the East. We talk about it daily. If there's one team in particular That you're concerned about or that really kind of owns the conference and I think Florida deserves Probably that title because they won the cup last year and they've been to the cup final two years in a row But it doesn't appear as if there's like a top team that should terrify anyone. That's our viewpoint Do you see it similarly or like if you're if you're looking at it from a leaf perspective and looking out at who you could

Play in the first round second round third round Is there any reason why you would be concerned or any team in particular that might shook? You know kind of shake you up a little bit. Yeah. No, I think Carolina was a team I looked at when they got ran in the other week and I was like wow That's a big move for them getting Taylor Hall to I'm like, it's a pretty good team team They're looking pretty good on and paper, but the Leafs have handled them pretty well this year You know the other team that surprised me, and I think it surprised a lot of people is Washington, right? They're the one team that when they've played the Leafs I feel like they've played well against Toronto, and they've they've helped play Toronto in a few of the games

But yeah, like you said, it's wide open. There's no team that I think the Leafs can look at and say, we're intimidated to play that team. In their division, I think obviously Florida is Florida, but Tampa is actually having a nice little run here. I think nobody's talking about them lately, but they still have that guy in net, Vasilevski like oh, yeah As much as everyone wants to say Oh, he hasn't had the numbers or he hasn't had the numbers lately like he's an intimidating goalie to play against and the coach There is an intimidating coach. She's the one coach. You're like, wow this guy This guy's a really good coach line matcher all that

Yeah, you could feel that well and I was, you're a great guy to ask about the amazing work of Ovechkin because he's doing it at 39, goals per 60s at his highest rate of his career. You've been the oldest skater in this league very recently, playing past 39. When you watch this guy do what he's doing, we're talking about older athletes because we've got Max Scherzer playing for the Blue Jays this year at age 40 I mean, you know, what's the challenge? What's the biggest challenge that you found? Keeping it together be staying the player you are as as the years move on. It's the speed. It's the speed for sure I think

No matter what you want to say. It's things come at you quicker things happen quicker The thing with Ovi is just like I don't know it looked like he was slowing down there a couple years ago and I was like okay finally this is it and it's like it seems to me like he makes these adjustments right and and he's made an adjustment this year again it's like he he bombs everything at the net he shoots everything which is one thing but he still finds those spots and and he gets there and the run he's on right now is incredible. Like I didn't see this one coming. I thought after the broken leg it was like, okay, next year maybe, but that one could almost derail your career at that age and he bounced back and...

Arguably better than ever. He's looking great. Like Hattrick the other night, it's kind of... You see him playing soccer? During the break he was playing in a pro league and he was running people over I don't ask Joe from the bridge See if you can pull up that video. It was insane I don't know if that was like a couple weeks ago But he was literally playing soccer and a guy was trying to check him and he just mowed the guy over. Okay I gotta find that I've seen him do that in the offseason So he goes over to Russia and he kind of gets the treatment

Yeah, he's playing a pro and yeah,- Yeah, he does get the Putin treatment. But they're like, don't touch this guy because if you mess with Ovechkin, you are in serious, serious trouble. You and your family will disappear. There's a chance we're not going to see you again. Have you ever blocked one of his one-timers? You know what? He's on the other side.

I never played the right in my career. That's one thing I never did. I played the left. I cannot remember blocking. I'm sure if I did, I would have remembered it. But I was grateful I was on the other side a lot of the time. Tanev, I let Tanev and guys on the right side that I played with eat those ones. Oh, they just eat those ones. And the thing about Ovi is half the time he doesn't know where it's going he just rips it right he's just trying to get it anywhere hit it and anywhere on net and if he doesn't

know you sure as hell don't know so it's scary scary yeah like you can't go down like if you go down you may take one off the head anything could happen but was there one guy in particular I guess on the left side that you remember like blocking a shot or if he was winding up you thought I gotta get out of the way here and not on the left side that you remember like blocking a shot or if he was winding up you thought I gotta get out of the way here. Not on the left side the one guy who scared me was Sheldon Surrey. He scared me when he he had such a heavy shot and he would always zip it high and I remember playing I think he was in Dallas and I remember playing him and it was just like Being on the PK in front of the net and him team him up. It was scary Yeah, really scary that would be he went shell from the point and didn't care like literally did not care and his own players

Like cuz he could hit them just as easily and he had no remorse Like if he hit a guy in the head or in the shoulder like he has your problem standing there. Yeah. Yeah Well, that's it like Chara comes to mind but he would generally control the shot to an extent but get it on the on Hey, you know But no, I didn't know where it was going. Oh, he was going high a lot of the glass a lot in his career Yeah Did you ever play with the like as a partner though? Yeah, like one of my first games I think it was my first game in St. Louis, I was paired

with Dion, he played the right side with me and man, he was a treat to play with. He let me live with him too, the first year, my first sort of full year in Calgary and yeah. He's a lot different public than his public percent. A hundred percent. He's misunderstood a lot of the time, he's a great guy and he's funny and we had a laugh. The funniest part about Nuf was in practice. Dion, in practice, he would get the team going.

It'd be the quietest day. Guys are tired and he would be like, let's go. Getting the coaches fired up and chirping guys. So I had a blast playing with him. A lot of value in that, eh? The guy who's constantly got that energy. Yeah it would piss guys off a lot a lot of the time but yeah I would just sit there and just laugh at them the whole practice is hilarious. He's a big personality. Big person yeah I could see that like if

you're an older player and he's buzzing at 20 you're like can you stop? I saw something on Instagram the other day there was a clip and he was chirping Phil because Phil was walking by eating a cookie. He's like, Phil, that's your fourth cookie. Phil's like, what are you talking about? That was my first. He's like, I watched you eat three earlier. Yeah.

He just, like, that's what he was like. He would always get under your skin and chirp you, but it was kind of funny. Always from a good place. Yeah, it was a good place. Teammates. All right, March 7 trade deadline mark Cheer Dano is gonna be a big part of what we're doing here at TSN and It's great to have you man. We appreciate you doing this. Yeah, we'll catch up again down the road

And what do you make it tonight leafs Bruins and it's gonna be a tough game for the Leafs tonight I think Boston is gonna be really desperate In Boston, I just looked at their home record. Their home record's actually really good. I think they were 18 and nine or something. So it's gonna be a tough game. It's gonna be desperate. I think it's gonna be close. Probably an overtime game tonight.

Yeah, I think Stoller's is going tonight. Well, that'd be good. I mean, at some point, you gotta have, I mean, Mitch just had some success there. You know, Austin played a good game. Like it is a- Back in the building. It's a fun building to play in if you play well.

So Joe says he's got the Ovechkin Viz. Oh, we have the Viz? Okay. Do we know when it's time stamp? Look at this guy. This was in 2022. Okay. So this is in the off season. Him just barreling over people. I love that video. That's outstanding. Like he's a big guy. He's massive. He's carrying some weight in that. That looks like it's June in Russia and Ovi, maybe they went out in the first round and he's been enjoying himself. All right, Mark Giordano joining us here in studio. Great seeing you, Gio. Thanks for doing this. We'll catch you on Deadline. It's going to be great. There he is, Mark Giordano. This February, I Heart Radio celebrates

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