Player Discussion Mark Giordano

[Flameshomer]

I went back a few pages and didn't see a thread about him, so I elected to start a new one. This is because I believe this season's Mark Giordano is an independent player from our Captain.


Watching his game last night was absolutely brutal I thought. He was directly responsible for the Stars goal. He gave up on the trailing player (johnny oduya for god sakes) and let him score short handed.

Normally, I would discount this as a mental lapse for Gio. Unfortunately, this seems to be happening at an absolutely alarming rate. He's been just brutal lately.

I've seen people defending him coming back from injury and all, but these lapses aren't anything to do with his shot, or even his strength (both of which have been noticeably worse this year, but that can be explained at least). Instead, he's reading plays poorly, giving up on his man, and generally just playing like a pylon.

So, what's up?

Click to read more...

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He's having a down year. It happens.

 

[Kovaz]

I'm not sure we watched the same game. He hustled his ass off to get back into that play, lunged as far as he could to try to block the pass, and misread where the rebound was gonna go. I'm in awe at how you could watch that play and think he gave up on it. He could have maaybe got one more stride in towards Oduya but even then I doubt he could've closed the gap. Once that shot hits Ramo, his only chance is to get his stick on the puck first, and unfortunately the puck lands on Oduya's tape.

Not to mention he was on the ice for 16 of the 20-22 minutes Benn and Seguin played, and they were held without a point. We got dominated on the puck possession front, except for the Brodie/Giordano vs. Benn/Seguin matchup, which was dead even. If that's what a brutal game looks like, I hope he's brutal for the rest of the year.

 

[Kahvi]

It still might be the injury. If something is not working 100% and you know that, you try to compensate it with other things, and that changes how you play and react. IDK, thats just speculation.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

He's definitely off in some way. He doesn't seem to be executing as precisely as he should be able to. I'm just hoping this is a blip for him, because his new contract hasn't even kicked in yet.

 

[Yung Rotini]

He was fine last night. I don't agree that he was directly responsible for the Stars goal. Both him and Gaudreau lost the puck battle with Sceviour. If you're going to blame Gio, blame Johnny as well. Not to mention he was matched up all night against Benn and Seguin and held them pointless.

He started off quite badly, but lately, i've had no issue with Giordano's play.

 

[Flameshomer]

I'm not sure we watched the same game. He hustled his ass off to get back into that play, lunged as far as he could to try to block the pass, and misread where the rebound was gonna go. I'm in awe at how you could watch that play and think he gave up on it. He could have maaybe got one more stride in towards Oduya but even then I doubt he could've closed the gap. Once that shot hits Ramo, his only chance is to get his stick on the puck first, and unfortunately the puck lands on Oduya's tape.

Not to mention he was on the ice for 16 of the 20-22 minutes Benn and Seguin played, and they were held without a point. We got dominated on the puck possession front, except for the Brodie/Giordano vs. Benn/Seguin matchup, which was dead even. If that's what a brutal game looks like, I hope he's brutal for the rest of the year.

If you watch the replay of the goal, you can see him stop moving as soon as the other dallas player (was it nichuskin?) shot the puck on ramo. Oduya (who's slower than molasses) kept on skating and potted the rebound. They were almost even footing until then.

I also think that, opposite of last year, Brodie is really covering up a lot of Gio's blunders this year. Gio's alleged 'turn around' happened after his D-partner returned.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

If you watch the replay of the goal, you can see him stop moving as soon as the other dallas player (was it nichuskin?) shot the puck on ramo. Oduya (who's slower than molasses) kept on skating and potted the rebound. They were almost even footing until then.

I also think that, opposite of last year, Brodie is really covering up a lot of Gio's blunders this year. Gio's alleged 'turn around' happened after his D-partner returned.

I don't think it's really the opposite of last year, because Brodie hasn't had much in the way of blunders to cover up in the last couple of years. And when he does, he tends to recover pretty well on his own.

 

[Sparky93]

Every few years Gio seems to have kind of a stinker of a year, whether it's due to injury or what ever. I'd say the injury is still causing some problems. His accuracy on his passes and shots seems off. I'd expect at least a couple really good years after this one before that contract start to seem a little Chara-ish.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

His shot and accuracy seem off because he tore his bicep.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Personally I don't buy that bit about his injury. He had ample time to recover, and he trains like a freak. Gio has had down years in the past, Doughty has had so, so years, Letang played really bad a couple of seasons ago, it happens.

FWIW, he has been much better overall from the start of the season. I thought his injury might have caused some hesitation in his game which can create a ripple effect, but that wouldn't apply at this point in the season. He'll be fine.

 

[Deen]

It takes a long time to work back the strength in an arm that has that kind of injury. His precision has certainly taken a hit, but that doesn't excuse his skating. It will likely take until next year before he gets the whip back in that arm to some degree.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

His shot and accuracy seem off because he tore his bicep.

Difficulty accepting passes, too. I've noticed multiple instances where he looked like he wanted to just rip a shot off, and had to handle the puck too much to actually get his shot. But there's been some mental stuff as well.

 

[Flameshomer]

Difficulty accepting passes, too. I've noticed multiple instances where he looked like he wanted to just rip a shot off, and had to handle the puck too much to actually get his shot. But there's been some mental stuff as well.

I can get behind the injury having an effect, but it's the "mental stuff" that has me worried too. The shining example for me was that oduya goal yesterday, it was like the straw that broke the camel's back. In another game, that could have been a back breaker for the team, and it was our captain that watched it happen. It's just discouraging, I love gio, mostly for his attitude. It just feels like he's all talk this year.

I don't know, maybe I'm being too harsh, but he really doesn't look like the same player as last year.

 

[Lunatik]

Personally I don't buy that bit about his injury. He had ample time to recover, and he trains like a freak. Gio has had down years in the past, Doughty has had so, so years, Letang played really bad a couple of seasons ago, it happens.

FWIW, he has been much better overall from the start of the season. I thought his injury might have caused some hesitation in his game which can create a ripple effect, but that wouldn't apply at this point in the season. He'll be fine.

when they kept him from doing chin up during fitness testing that tells me he isn't truly 100%

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

when they kept him from doing chin up during fitness testing that tells me he isn't truly 100%

I wasn't aware of that, but I suppose in that instance your probably right. Also Gio has nothing to prove to anyone, so it was probably more of a precautionary thing than anything.

 

[Flameshomer]

Gio on the powerplay today, bobbles a pass off towards the boards, is then outworked by tarasenko and the puck is cleared.

Next play, Giordano skates it in, and weakly passes it behind the net, where parayko promptly intercepts it and easily clears.


Wake up Gio!!!

 

[Flameshomer]

Also played weak on that goal, not that Ramo was anywhere close to saving it anyways.

 

[Snazu]

I was looking through the Flames stats this year and noticed something that stuck out of me. Gio played all 82 games this season. So I'd say that he proved that his health issues from the last few seasons before weren't anything to be too worried about him long term.

 

[Wish You Were Here]

Career season in points as well.

 

[cg98]

What do you guys think of Giordano's performance this season so far?

 

[Mobiandi]

Easily our best dman. Like not even close

 

[FerklundCGY]

Easily our best dman. Like not even close

This. There's really nothing else that needs to be said

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Might be the best defensive defenseman in the NHL along with Doughty, Lindholm, Slavin, and Tanev.

I miss 60pt Gio though.

 

[Baxterman]

He is not nearly as good as many Flames fans think but at least he isn't the tire fire he was in the lockout season and his contract is still a year or two from handcuffing us.

He has been slightly better than Hamilton so far this year but clearly behind Brodie and Hamonic. I think with Hamonic here to take over the heavy defensive responsiblities we can finally start to ramp back Gio's role and maybe see better play from him without so many defensive miscues.