Mark Giordano injury: What happened to Toronto Maple Leafs veteran defenseman?

The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered an injury blow to veteran defenseman Mark Giordano, who exited Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers.

The Maple Leafs announced that Giordano won't be returning to the contest against the Florida Panthers due to an upper body injury. However, there's no update on what caused the injury.

The 40-year-old left the ice late in the first period, shortly after Kevin Stenlund put the Panthers up 1-0. There's no update on the severity of the injury or period for his return.

"Maple Leafs defenceman Mark Giordano will not return to tonight’s game due to injury (upper body)"

Before exiting the game, the 40-year-old clocked 6:31 minutes of ice time and had one shot. Fans can anticipate more about Giordano's injury in a couple of days.

If he's not fit for Thursday's matchup against the Seattle Kraken, William Lagesson could take his place. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs thwarted the Florida Panthers 2-1 at home on Tuesday.

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How has Mark Giordano fared for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Vancouver Canucks vs Toronto Maple Leafs

The 40-year-old defenseman has notched up five points, through one goal and four assists this season. Notably, this is the lowest points total for the veteran in his career.

Giordano made his way to the NHL as an undrafted player in 2004 and went on to spend most of it with the Calgary Flames. Moreover, he has also played for the Seattle Kraken.

Mark Giordano has been with the Toronto Maple Leafs since the 2021-22 season. Overall, the 40-year-old Toronto, Ontario, native has played 1,121 games, scoring 573 points (156 goals and 573 assists) in his 18-year-long NHL career.