OverDrive - Giordano on the Maple Leafs aiming for an larger series lead, the mentality against the Panthers and the depth sparking the group

Episode Date: May 9, 2025

Longtime NHL Defenseman Mark Giordano joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Maple Leafs' series lead against the Panthers, the mentality of the team after the home wins, the stars' production on the ice, the depth of the team, his experience in the playoffs and more.

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Alberta and BC. Thoughts are limited so register now at CareerFoundation.com. That's CareerFoundation.com. Join today and be part of something amazing. Here's former Leaf, good friend of the show. Here's Mark Giordano joining us back on Overdrive. Gio, what's happening? How are we doing, guys? We're doing well. Is my microphone on today or are we working good?

You're good, buddy. Everything good? You're good. You've mastered this now, man. You're a seasoned vet. I love it. it so what do you what do you make of the approach for the Leafs tonight like if you're walking into a situation like this you're up to nothing you're on the road Florida they

represent what they represent what would you expect the messaging and the mood to be in the Leaf Room before the game yeah I would assume that the coaches are on the guys so like let's not be comfortable at two nothing It's a it's a great start to the series But you know, they have a real opportunity here tonight to go out, you know that first ten minutes You know, Florida's gonna want to come out But I think the Leafs should go out with with a counter to that and they have a real opportunity to show these guys like Hey, we're for real. We're here for real

We're we're looking to sweep you because you know if Florida wins the game tonight the whole Outcome of the series, you know be it'll be in question. It'll not in question, but it'll look different It'll it'll feel like a seven game series if the Leafs win tonight, then we're talking sweep tomorrow, right? So I would expect the boys they know the opponent. They respect the opponent I would expect them to come out with a good start because that's Florida's game plan for sure. So Gio, with that in mind, is there anything different they have to do as far as the approach or even the players in the room? Is there something that maybe guys have to step out of their comfort zone to maybe a

little extra hit, a little extra take a punch in the face to draw a penalty, something? Is there something you could identify that maybe could help put them over the top here on a tough road opponent? Well, I think they've done a good job in all areas, Noodle, to be honest, in the series. They've touched a little bit of everything. Their depth has been great. Pat Reddy's probably been one of the best players in the series.

Domi's been good. They finally got that power play goal last game. So you're touching five on five. They're playing well. They're touching all areas like they're playing physical. They're not taking stupid penalties. And I would preach a lot of the same. Now, Florida's probably preaching a lot of the same too. Like they've played some pretty good hockey too. I think what they would want is a little bit better goal-tending on their end. And they'd like Bobrovsky to step up there. But other than that, they've had some pretty good stretches.

But I would be preaching a lot of the same. I like the Leafs, especially their rebound shifts. Like after goals or after momentum swings, they've had big shifts. Like the goal after the game got tied last game was a good example of it but even Florida was pushing really hard at the start there when that Marshawn scored in the Second period Florida was pushing really hard for about five minutes and the Leafs are showing that ability to you know rebound and get their own Momentum back and they've been doing that all year. So so it's been really a

Really key to success for them. Geo, you're familiar with Wall obviously, you played with him. Are you comfortable with the idea of him or confident in the idea of him having the ability to go into Florida and steal one tonight? Because we've seen it in the past, he has struggled with a bit of consistency but the one thing he can do, he can throw a performance at you where he goes nuts and he's just dynamic and he makes the athletic saves he makes the impossible saves and that's kind of what they need tonight they need him to be dialed in yeah yeah I agree I think I think he's very capable playing with

Waller I think especially like he had it he had a long break there so you're you know noodles can talk better about this than me, but being off, not in the net for 20 days is a big deal. So now he's gotten those reps in. Yeah, like you said, I think one of the two games he's gonna have to probably steal one there. You know, Florida's coming out with some big, big games in their home building, basically,

you know, not do or die yet but basically almost there so you know I think he's getting better and better with every period that goes by and did that huge save that you're showing right now in the in the third and he's definitely capable really athletic really moves well really reads the play well you'll be able to tell right away with Waller I always could tell right away with him you know if he's calm if he's reading the play right away, you'll be able to tell. Did you change your game if he was drunk early, Gio?

Oh, he might dive in front of a couple floaters from the blue line. No, he was pretty good. He was pretty consistent when I was there. But yeah, I think this is credit to the Leafs, the depth in their net. I mean, he's basically a 1-8, right? So he's stepping in now and he's the guy. It looks like Stolarz isn't there for the trip, so he's the guy. With Mark Giordano, I'm curious if you're seeing a role reversal from what you guys

ran into a couple years ago. When you're on that team, you get through Tampa, there's Chance in Toronto, we want Florida, we want Florida, Florida. At that point, it just backdoored into the playoffs. I think if Pittsburgh wins in Chicago, Florida doesn't even make the playoffs that year. They're down 3-1 to Boston, they storm back, they find a way to win it, overtime game seven.

And everyone at that point was thinking, all right, the Leafs are the team here, Florida's gotta prove who they are and Now you know before you knew it you guys were down three nothing in the series and chasing it Do you see do you see a role reversal here? Where is there a chance Florida looked at Toronto and maybe wasn't certain exactly what they were really made of and now the Leafs to Punch them in the face twice quickly And if they don't snap out of it they they could be in a similar

situation to the one you guys were in two years ago yeah exactly i think florida found a real quick that uh... they're different this year the leafs team there they're built different they play different a little bit different uh... system their structure is really good their face off detail is really good and i think that's paid off in the playoffs and uh... i think uh... more shawnes comments after last game said the best like the you know is really good and I think that's paid off in the playoffs and I think Morshawn's comments after last game said it best like he you know he was preaching

how good the Leafs are and I think it did catch them off maybe off a little bit a little bit but I think they knew going in I think they were saying all the right things but I think everyone in the league who's playing knows like they're a team that that you should be watching for for sure. With Marc Giordano, Austin Matthews and the way he's been playing, what have you seen out of his game and is there another level there in your opinion and if so what would that look like starting tonight?

I like his game. I watch him on the defensive side of the puck now and he's been a beast and he's, you know, him and Barkov, you know, they're going to cancel each other out a lot of shifts if they're playing against each other. That's just the way it's going to be. Yeah, you'd like to see them, the boys, the top line, they'll contribute offensively as much as possible. But hey, like we said before, set up the next shift, play hard, play well defensively. And then, you know, Barkov got one last game on the power play, maybe the top guys on the Leafs get one on the power play, but basically

they're gonna cancel each other out. The thing that's been interesting to me is the depth has been canceling each other out too. As good as Pat Charette and those guys have been, like Marshawn's line has been really good in Florida. They've been scoring goals. So it's been a pretty even series like two one-goal games and we'll see what happens I think Florida I think you know if if you're in the

coaches room when there's no players around in Florida they're saying okay if we can get a save here or there we're gonna we're gonna be okay what do you make of your buddy Mo's game I mean Morgan's a guy who's got certainly gotten some points and got some goals and looks to be a lot more comfortable in watching him. I'm sure you focus a lot on the D. What do you make of Morgan's game? Yeah, I've said it before, when Mo's feeling comfortable, he's up in the rush.

You can tell he's up in the play, and he's been up in the play a lot in the series. And that comes with confidence I mean you get you know, he had a regular season like everyone sort of up and down regular season But just like the last time he had a tough season. He came into playoffs and he's our best player against when we beat Tampa there and and Moving forward so he's having a a good start to the playoffs offensively and I think that's contributing to his overall confidence and his overall game. Geo, with 2.55 left the Florida Panthers pulled their goaltender and they didn't get a shot on net.

And there's been long stretches where the Leafs defensively, we talk a lot about game breakers getting it done in the core four and they've got to step up and produce offense but there's been long stretches where the ten twelve fifteen minutes ago by the have a large a lot of shot against auto off and i'd be really stuck out when that florida panthers pulled their goaltender they didn't allow a shot on that what do you seeing would you say would be more personnel that's been added

or is that coaching? Like what do you attribute to their ability to check and defend and keep the puck out of the core area of the ice? Yeah, I think the personnel thing is as far as personnel goes, they're blocking way more shots than they ever have. I think at one point in the game last game it was like Leaves had 25 blocks, the Florida's eight. So they're blocking more shots for sure but it's it's coaching its structure there they're packing it in the slot you can't get slot chances against this team it seems like they're they're not giving up much from in there and they're okay with

Florida you know going low to high and then putting it back down and creating battles behind their net and all that thing they're okay with that game but anything in the slot even off the rush you see their back pressure all that they're not giving much up in the slot and you know when Florida's Florida's on their game they don't give up a lot of chances but the difference is Florida's so super aggressive with their defensemen and they're they're relying on their third forward to be high and be a safety valve but if Florida's just to step off like we've seen in the series they'll give up odd man rushes and breakaways. And they've done it a bunch in the series.

The Leafs have caught them because they make crisp plays, they make good little chips, and they're so aggressive that there is that opportunity against Florida to create odd men. It was like that when Maurice coached in Winnipeg, it was the same thing. When they were on, it felt like you had no room, no time, no space. But if they're just a step off, you can create odd man chances against this team. With Mark Giordano, you mentioned Max Pettoretti in his contribution. I think it's pretty clear he benefited from not playing down the stretch, although it may have been frustrating. He

may have been ready and he wanted to get in. What is that like as a veteran in the room where maybe you're coming in out of the lineup but you understand the impact you're really going to have on this team is come playoff time, but waiting for that, getting through the season and understanding maybe your minutes are reduced or again you're not in the lineup but waiting for that time and hoping that you're ready to contribute complex yeah it you know what that was the hardest thing that i found in my career was to go

uh... from playing you know twenty plus minutes a night today not playing the minutes and then you know towards right towards the end of my career getting scratched a few times and then coming in it was the hardest thing to accept and uh... everyone around you is telling you, oh, you know, you need to rest, take the pregame skate off, take the morning skates off.

And like, I hated it, because I was like, it's, you're almost admitting defeat. Like father time has defeated me. So I hated it, but he's done a great job, man. He's changed his role, first off. We all forget how many goals the guy's started late, but he's changed his role into a power forward, third line checking forward, whatever you want to call it.

And he's excelled. And yeah, for sure there is something to, the science behind getting the rest as an older guy and as a more veteran player. And a guy who's been through some pretty tough injuries as well so good on him he looks great out there he looks really fresh and but it was I will say that was the hardest thing for me in my career to accept. Gio just wanted to follow up quickly on

that like you mentioned you know father time catching up and having to adjust is it is it something where you just it's a feeling or did somebody have to pull you aside? Did the coach go, hey, you know, you're going over radio and you can't get there anymore? Like, is it just a gradual thing? Like, you're admitting it, but at what point did you identify it and adjust your game? I think, you know what, Nudo, I think for me, the first year I would have started noticing it was when I went to Seattle my first year, I think I was about 37. It's just the speed, the ability to get there isn't there anymore. You have to rely way more on your reads and your hockey IQ.

I think a lot of old guys have that. And that's why a guy like Corey Perry, a guy like Pat Suretti, like can stick around in the league. It's just hockey IQ. And you have to be able to read the play properly. Like for me, it was as a defenseman, I used to love jumping in and getting in in the rush as the fourth man. And I found what I noticed was I wasn't getting as many chances offensively anymore because I wasn't getting up in the rush as the fourth man and I found what I noticed was I wasn't getting

As many chances offensively anymore because I wasn't getting up in the rush enough. I wasn't getting there I knew I wanted to be where I wanted to be but sometimes you just couldn't get there and also playing playing the rush the other way you got to be aware like some guys in the league out of kind of speed and that's why as you get older it gets harder because you start giving more gap, you start giving more time and space because you know you can't keep up. And then eventually there's a point in time where you just can't play anymore because you're hurting the team. So it's just reads, it's little things, but certain guys can hang on longer than others, that's for sure.

I'd love to have just a screenshot of your brain when you're 40 and try to lead a rush and you're like, what am I doing? This is trouble. That poor Jack Eichel last night was trying to skate backwards. Yeah. I felt bad for him. Eichel's a top 10 player around. He's in that range for sure.

McDavid made him look like a beer leader. Most forwards don't skate backwards. That's the other thing. Oh, were you a good backwards skater? Could you skate backwards? Honestly, Jamie, you asked the question and I thought of how many times I probably skated backwards in the NHL. And I'm not going to say that it never happened, but I don't remember skating backwards in

that league, hardly ever. We were joking, Gio, before you came on. McDavid and Dry Settle didn't have a good night, but it's one play and Eiko gets caught back and he is like, oh my god. Look at him here, he's like, I'm dead. There's no way I can beat this guy in overtime. You don't want to take the penalty rate you don't think the penalty but against those two you almost

you're almost better off taking the penalty because it's two on one with them is like it's always a bird and the peanut birding so uh... maybe you try your chances on the pelican well no i mean that was that's a night that's a nightmare that's a nightmare seeing him coming out of all guys to get that gap, right? Terrifying and let's clarify Trandillo was like wow what he was doing either but he ends up on Aiden Hill. That's not comfortable either for anybody

Alright, Geo game three tonight. It should be a great one. Enjoy it buddy. Thanks for doing this Okay, boys. Good talking to you. There he is. Mark Giordano doing this. Okay boys, good talking to you archive footage make for a fascinating weekly deep dive. Stream Encore, the stories behind the songs you love on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts.