By Joshua Kloke (The Athletic)
TORONTO — Toronto Marlies practice ended well over half an hour ago, but Mark Giordano is still on the ice.
He skates slowly around the half-wall as Noah Chadwick and Luke Haymes, two up-and-comers in the Maple Leafs organization, stand with their eyes wide.
The former Norris Trophy winner’s hands move as he illustrates his point: deception with the puck on the power play is vital. Defenders should not be able to decipher the plan with the puck — until it’s too late.
Less than two years ago, Giordano, now 42, was trying to make plays himself as a Maple Leafs defenceman. As Giordano speaks to both prospects, neither of whom have played an NHL game, he implores them to study video of Tampa Bay Lightning future Hall of Famer Nikita Kucherov.
“You don’t know if (Kucherov) is passing or shooting,” Giordano says. “There’s a lot of benefit to watching video and doing little things that players sometimes won’t even think to do unless they’re told.”
Giordano carved out an impressive NHL career by doing the little things remarkably well.
In the next stage of his career — which began sooner than anticipated after he started this season as a Marlies coaching advisor — he is trying to help young Marlies learn the lessons he accumulated over a 20-year professional hockey career.
“That’s where I can help them,” he said, nodding on the bench after he’s finally left the ice.
The Leafs have an aging defence and are going to need young players coming up through the ranks soon. The organization is asking Giordano to help build NHL-ready defenders.
The experience Giordano gained from his lengthy and varied professional career has become a well of resources for the Marlies. And sharing that experience is Step One in Giordano’s hope to eventually become an NHL head coach.
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