Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano – aka everyone at FlamesNation’s father (yes we’re all related) – has won the Norris Trophy at the annual National Hockey League awards event in Las Vegas. This is awarded annually to the league’s top defender who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.
Giordano, 35, had the best offensive season of his career. He beat his career-high in points just 57 games into the season by reaching 57 points, becoming just the eighth player in the last 40 years to reach their career-high at 35 years of age or older. He also became just the fourth defender in NHL history to reach the 60-point mark at the age of 35 or older. By the end of the season, he reached 74 points, second among defenders.
Giordano finished fourth among all defenders (min. 500 TOI) in CF% (57.34%) while finishing fifth on the team in scoring. As Ryan Pike mentioned, here’s how he did in previous years in voting for the Norris since being given the captaincy:
  • 2013-14 (30): 14 goals, 47 points, +12, 10th in voting
  • 2014-15 (31): 11 goals, 48 points, +13, 6th in voting (missed last quarter of season with injury)
  • 2015-16 (32): 21 goals, 56 points, -5, 13th in voting
  • 2016-17 (33): 12 goals, 39 points, +22, 8th in voting
  • 2017-18 (34): 13 goals, 38 points, even, 16th in voting
Here’s how Gio did in comparison to the other two finalists (min. 500 TOI among defenders):
Defender
5v5 CF%
5v5 OZS%
Mark Giordano
57.34 (4th)
48.73
Victor Hedman
52.46 (48th)
55.27
Brent Burns
57.11 (6th)
62.92
He may have never been drafted, but Mark Giordano has now become the first Flame to ever win the Norris Trophy and the first undrafted player to win it since the modern draft began.