Rumor: Leafs Interested in Gio as Gio wants to come home to retire in a year or two

[colchar]

So we get an old guy who already has retired? And we give them an actual potential player in Robertson?
I know, he has not retired, but when you say you are going to next year, you have already checked out.
I don't mind trying Gio for a month or 2, but he can not be counted on as the solution. He wasn't the solution in Calgary or Seattle. Look how much Calgary improved without him.

Oh yes, because him leaving was the only thing that changed. Good grief.

 

[colchar]

I don't really want a 38 y.o. defencemen knocking a younger player off the roster.

Even if he were free.

So age is the only thing that matters to you? Brilliant.

 

[OVO16]

Giordano would be great. If we can get him for an affordable/cheap price, would be so ideal. Him and Giordano reunited would really calm that 2nd pairing down. He's a gamer.

He would bring a lot of physicality (among other things) against those gritty fast Tampa Forwards.

 

[34]

No way Gio is worth a 1st. Maybe a 3rd and a cap dump at most.

Mrazek and a 3rd.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Gio will be a Leaf. I'm good with it - and I don't think Dubas will pay up stupidly

 

[saltming]

Maybe he 'retires' then signs with us for league minimum?
Or is there something in the CBA that would prevent that?

 

[Ciao]

So age is the only thing that matters to you? Brilliant.

At 38, age matters a lot.

You would be a fool to ignore it.

 

[PromisedLand]

I think Gio would help a ton at least for the playoffs

Rielly Brodie
Gio Lyubushkin/Holl
Muzzin/Sandin Lily

Rielly Brodie pair was playing some really good hockey until Muzzin got injured IMO

 

[therealkoho]

Come home in the offseason for a cool million a season. I have no problems adding Gio but I'm not spending draft capital to bring a guy home for a retirement tour.

I really never want to see another one of those totally full of horse-puckey retirement tours ever again, if there is anything more pretentious in the entire world I'm not aware of it.

I mean really, a guy plays whatever number of years, making multi millions of dollars year by year, why does he need a overly generous "gift" from an opposing team and their fan base. I get when somebody has played their whole career in one city and the home team does the big ceremony thing and showers the guy with gifts, but touring the league with your hand out goes way past presumptuous for me.

 

[crump]

A few recent video's of Giordano.

 

[TheProspector]

Toronto does not need a defenseman. Gio is basically not meaningfully better than Lyubushkin at this point. Toronto already has too many NHL defensemen when healthy. Brodie, Dermott, Holl, Lil, Lyub, Muzzin, Rielly, Sandin - every one of those guys belongs. Sandin looks like Kaberle circa 1998 - better, actually.

For now going on two seasons, this team's problem has either been a) Goaltending or b) Unbelievably bad shooting luck/Heroic oppositional goaltending against our best players, who are amongst the best in the league, and one of which is the best overall skater in the NHL.

This team needs nothing done to the roster. Keep our picks, and make future Maple Leafs out of them. The farm system works.

I have nothing against Gio, but he really doesn't have a spot on the 2022 Toronto Maple Leafs without a younger (and probably pretty comparable on-ice resulting) defenseman moving in the other direction. There's just no need.

This is the strongest TML team since '60-61. 5th best PK in the league. Best PP in the league. It's the 5th best team by points, and it manages all of this despite actually having goaltending that would have sent any other team into the lottery. The Leafs sit 9th best in our best objective measurement of defensive play (xGA).

Eat shit, haters. This team is amazing.

 

[TheProspector]

No way Gio is worth a 1st. Maybe a 3rd and a cap dump at most.

Mrazek and a 3rd.

Ehhhhhh

I might do that if I'm Toronto. Getting rid of Mrazek might be worth it.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Oh yes, because him leaving was the only thing that changed. Good grief.

Oh good grief Charlie Brown, exactly my point. Good is not a difference maker and giving away a future to still lose in round 1 is stupid. We have coaches who couldn't take Larry Robinson, Borja Salming and Darryl Sittler to round 2.

 

[ACC1224]

What do our Leafs trade to pick him up?

Robertson, Holl and cap space from Kraken to make it work for Leafs .. Kraken looking for a D and scoring LWer

Francis wants to help out Gio get back home and give him another Cup shot ..

Good call on him wanting to come home

 

[Fogelhund]

Oh good grief Charlie Brown, exactly my point. Good is not a difference maker and giving away a future to still lose in round 1 is stupid. We have coaches who couldn't take Larry Robinson, Borja Salming and Darryl Sittler to round 2.

Some of the gold posted in this thread...

These aren't going to age very well. Can't wait to quote them later.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Good call on him wanting to come home

I'd heard from a few people that Gio wanted to come home and Leafs wanted him and it was a back pocket deal .. I was hoping to unload Holl in that deal and then land Middleton too .. but it appears unlikely now .. but we are far better off today than we were yesterday

 

[Al14]

Good call on him wanting to come home

He should have wanted to 'come home' 5 years ago !!! Too late now IMHO.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He should have wanted to 'come home' 5 years ago !!! Too late now IMHO.

We were never gonna get da NHL's #1 defender and Norris winner 4-5 years ago .. and he is right now he is top 3 on our team with Rielly and Brodie so why would anyone be UNHAPPY .. i just don't get it .. not easy to land a bonafide top 4 D man in league .. and who cares if it is only for this playoff run and a 1 year deal next year

 

[Niagara Bill]

Some of the gold posted in this thread...

These aren't going to age very well. Can't wait to quote them later.

I hope you are correct....go Leafs

 

[Fogelhund]

I'd heard from a few people that Gio wanted to come home and Leafs wanted him and it was a back pocket deal .. I was hoping to unload Holl in that deal and then land Middleton too .. but it appears unlikely now .. but we are far better off today than we were yesterday

Middleton just got traded to Minnesota.

Barring something surprising, we keep Holl for the playoffs, and move him in the offseason.