‘A shock for all of us’: Flames captain adjusts to new normal during pandemic
Posted Mar 27, 2020 12:48 pm.
Last Updated Mar 27, 2020 1:04 pm.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Being home every day is the new normal for Mark Giordano.
Since the NHL has been on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Calgary Flames captain says he’s enjoying spending time with his family during what would’ve been the closing stretch run of the 2019-20 regular season campaign (Calgary was slated to host Vancouver Friday night for the team’s fourth last game).
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“Trying to take advantage of it,” Giordano said on a conference call late Friday morning. “The season came to a stop, and it was a shock for all of us. It’s important for us to be safe and take care of each other and do the right thing, listen to the doctors and nurses. They’re on the frontlines. We need to listen to them and do whatever they tell us to do.”
Giordano says he’s keeping in shape at home, focusing on what he calls ‘old school exercises’.
“I don’t have too much here, a few cardio machines, so used to having that resource at the rink,” he admitted. “Doing a lot of bodyweight stuff when it comes to strength and all that. A lot of pushups.
“We want to be on the ice. That’s the part that sucks right now. We can’t get our skates and get on the ice. We’re trying to find a lot of different, creative ways to stay active. It’s hard to motivate yourself some days, but you try to do it as early as possible in the morning and get it over with.”
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At the pause, the Flames were sitting third in the Pacific Division with 79 points. The team had gone 6-3-1 in its last 10 games and was part of a clogged Western Conference playoff race.
“If we can ever get back to playing, I think this is going to be one of the best playoffs ever,” the blueliner offered. “Because every team is going to have all of their guys healthy and ready to go. You’re truly going to be playing the best version of every team, I think.”
But looking at the bigger picture, Giordano knows his role is much more than just a hockey player.
“Being leaders on our teams and in our communities goes a long way,” he said.
