A history of Flames numbers: #5, Mark Giordano

The number five has been pretty commonplace in the Flames’ lineup for quite a few years now. Unlike #3, though, it hasn’t been passed around from guy to guy to guy, and definitely not in recent years. It’s had a pretty steady home – and it’s been home to one of the best Flames, certainly in the modern day, with its current owner.

Mark Giordano has made the number his own.

Giordano is the 15th player to wear #5 for the Flames:

Once again, it’s a lower number, so it’s almost exclusively defencemen – although (Curt) Bennett, who played for the Flames from 1972-78 (and again in the 1979-80 season) was actually a forward. 

It is kind of sweet that the two most recent guys to wear #5 for the Flames were both undrafted defenders who had to work their way up to the pros – and extremely bittersweet, in going back over the history of these jersey numbers, to remember Montador. Absolutely impossible to not love a guy like that.

Again, some grains of salt to be had here: not every defencemen, even good ones, are point producers. Although it’s always nice to have strong producers from the backend, no matter what, so defencemen who can score are rightfully valued.

And Giordano is up there. On this list, he’s fifth in total career points, and one of the players he’s behind is (Curt) Bennett, a forward. Out of the defencemen, he’s played substantially fewer games and only Redmond has more points per game than Giordano (.577 to .508). 

Depending on just how much longer Giordano’s career lasts – he’s signed for another six seasons, which will likely see him pass 1,000 games played – could be crucial to just where he ends up placing all time. How much longer he can remain productive at elite levels is another question, but if he keeps his current level of play up, he’s got a shot a solid shot at being firmly at the top of this list.

Hopefully he gets one of those Norris Trophies one day, too.