Should The Maple Leafs Hire Mark Giordano In An Assistant Coaching Role?
It's not often a Norris Trophy-winner wants to be part of your organization both as a player and a coach. But the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly have that in former star blueliner Mark Giordano.
After his NHL playing career ended in 2024, Giordano gravitated toward the coaching side of the game and is now a coaching advisor who has been on the bench for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.
At 42 years old, Giordano still has solid connections in the Leafs dressing room, having played with the Leafs' star talent, including center Auston Matthews and winger William Nylander. He can now work with youngsters in the Leafs' talent pipeline, especially concerning acclimating to Toronto.
In his first two post-playing-career seasons, you didn't hear much of anything from Giordano despite Toronto's scorching spotlight. In his short time playing for the Maple Leafs, Giordano barely registered on the Richter scale when it came to interacting with the press. Giordano clearly doesn't need any ego-stroking on or off the ice.
Ultimately, the Leafs need coaches who can pass along their accumulated experience to the Buds' youngsters. What franchise would turn down a Norris Trophy-winner like Giordano?
He's been a low-maintenance, high-reward individual. At a time when there's no salary cap for coaching and management, the Maple Leafs should be doing everything in their power to employ former NHL stars who can contribute long beyond the end of their playing days.
Are The Marlies Staff, Players Destined For Maple Leafs And NHL Roles?: Comparing This Year's Marlies To The 2018 Calder Cup Champions
With the Toronto Marlies advancing to the Calder Cup final, how does this team compare to the 2018 Calder Cup champions, and what staff members or players are destined for the NHL?
The Marlies currently are in the AHL's Calder Cup final, so Giordano deserves the chance to be part of that winning team. But the emergence of Giordano on the Marlies' bench is an excellent sign if you're a Leafs fan. Giordano could be on vacation for the rest of his post-playing days, but he clearly wants to be part of a team dynamic and craves the chance to compete for a championship as a coach.
The Maple Leafs' job is not only to develop future NHL players but also to develop new management members. That's who Giordano is right now. As a player, he proved he was more than worth an NHL team's investment, and the Leafs are currently hoping their investment in Giordano as a coach pays off for the organization.
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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 11:56 AM.