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Is Maple Leafs Mark Giordano Too Old to Fight?

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated 11/14/23

In the Toronto Maple Leafs last game — a 5-2 win over the hot Vancouver Canucks — 40-year-old defenseman Mark Giordano wrote his name in the team’s record books. He became the oldest Toronto player to receive a fighting major.

The situation was this: Dakota Joshua laid a big hit on Maple Leafs center David Kampf early in the first period. Immediately, the 40-year-old Giordano stepped into the Canuck forward and a fight took place. As Giordano noted, “I thought it was a high hit a little bit … Just got to stand up for teammates.”

Where Are the Maple Leafs Young Guys?

That event sparked a debate among hockey analysts Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne about whether a player of Giordano’s age should be engaging in on-ice fisticuffs. The question is whether Giordano’s fighting at 40 years of age is heroic or risky. [Readers can see the video clip of the debate below.]

The conversation between Kypreos and Bourne agrees that someone needs to stand up for teammates. However, the disagreement came with the fact that it was the elder statesman of the NHL (Giordano is the oldest player in the NHL) being the person to jump to the pump.

Kypreos questions why it was Giordano’s job. Bourne noted that he was closest and that Kypreos had been wanting someone to jump in forever. Why not Giordano, Bourne asks. Kypreos pushes the point that Giordano should have gotten a younger Maple Leafs player to fight instead of him.

Should Giordano Have Passed the Torch to a Younger Player?

As the discussion unfolds, concerns about strategic decisions and team dynamics emerge. Kypreos notes that Giordano should have been more strategic. Rather than directly engaging himself, he could have orchestrated the opportunity for a younger teammate to step up.

Usually, when I share these videos with Maple Leafs fans, I don’t weigh in on the hockey commentators. In this case, what Kypreos says is silly. It just makes no sense – especially in the heat of the moment.

If the issue with the Maple Leafs was that no one would jump in to engage a dangerous hit on behalf of their teammates, there were always reasons to NOT engage. Had Giordano CREATED or LEANED ON a reason (his age), what difference would that be from another teammate having another reason NOT to engage? In the end, then who would engage with everyone having a reason not to?

Every Maple Leafs Player Has to Be Counted on to Engage

The Kypreos and Bourne debate extends beyond the physical act of fighting, emphasizing the symbolic and strategic aspects that contribute to team dynamics and player roles. But, in the heat of the battle, when someone lays a dangerous hit on a teammate, the symbolism is less important than the immediate response.

In essence, the debate on Giordano’s fighting prowess at 40 raises questions about the balance between veteran leadership, team strategy, and the physical demands placed on players in the intense moments of an NHL game.

Giordano Was Engaged in Leadership and Team Unity

That said, in some ways, the conversation seems contrived. If players were allowing their teammates to be put into dangerous situations by opposition hits that were dangerous, everyone on the team needs to be counted on to engage the perpetrator – and do it immediately.

While the conversation is engaged about who should do it and under what circumstances, time ticks by. Likely, the engagement will not get done.

Good on Giordano for jumping to the help of his teammate – even at the ripe old age of 40. It could be his leadership that inspires exactly what both Kypreos and Bourne want to happen – without all the debate.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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