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Mark Giordano returns to the Calgary Flames with a legacy as one of the best to ever suit up in the franchise’s red and white.

On Saturday evening, the longtime captain - the undrafted blueliner who spent 15 seasons with the franchise (eight as captain), has played the second-most games in its jersey, and won its only Norris Trophy - comes back to the Saddledome to what surely will be a lengthy ovation from Flames faithful.

“I enjoyed my time here and have so many memories,” Giordano said.

“Tonight, it’ll be pretty special to play in front of the fans here again…I came in here pretty young, not knowing too much what the NHL was about. I felt like, every night I played I put as much as I can into the game and I think fans respect that and really showed me support throughout my career.”

General manager Brad Treliving often called Giordano the conscience of the organization. His ex-teammates agree.

“Since I came, he was kind of that guy that meshed well with the older guys and the young guys,” Matthew Tkachuk said, adding that it was a shame the Saddledome could only be half capacity on such a night for Flames fans. 

“I came in as an 18-year-old and he made me feel as at home as I could have felt. For that, I’ll forever thank him…Every practice, he was the first guy in line, the hardest-working guy and really drove our team and drove the bus for our team and for the Flames for the last however-many years.”

Defenceman Noah Hanifin came to the Flames via trade as a 21-year-old and immediately took cues from the captain.

“Mark was the first defenceman that I was really able to look up to and learn from,” he said.

“His work ethic on and off the ice, he’s the example for every young defenceman coming into the league. For some of our young defencemen here, me, [Oliver Kylington], [Rasmus Andersson], he was a great role model for us on and off the ice, how you have to act and be as a player if you want to have an impact in this league.”

Giordano’s impact in Calgary transcends the Saddledome ice. 

Few athletes have ever been more involved in the greater community, and Mark and his wife, Lauren, spent countless hours devoted to various causes. In 2011, they partnered with Habitat For Humanity to help build homes for those less fortunate. They also devoted time to education and children. In 2017, Giordano was honoured with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. 

“Their main impetus was, ‘We have money, so how can we help?’” Helen Nowlan-Walls of EducationMatters, a Calgary non-profit, told TSN in July. “They weren’t interested in any recognition. They just wanted to know who wanted the help and how they could provide it.”

Helen initially had no idea who the Giordanos were.

“I’m not a hockey person, so I had no clue how big a deal they were,” she said. “My nephew was aghast. He was like, ‘What is wrong with you?’ He was just a really nice man named Mark. I had no idea who he was, but he didn’t correct me or anything. He was just lovely. They are incredibly humble.”

That’s far from the only Giordano story in southern Alberta. One time at a charity function, he chided a fan for naming her dog Iggy instead of Gio.

“It was such a magical moment,” said Mike Franco, a Calgary Flames executive who witnessed the exchange.

“Everyone was in stitches.”

“I’m very proud of how my family established roots in the community here and we were able to help a lot of people out that we felt needed help in certain situations,” he said.

Giordano’s return coincides with the Flames’ eight game winning streak and one of their best seasons in recent franchise memory. 

When he was chosen by the Kraken in the expansion draft, many wondered how the franchise would replace him. Instead, the very blueliners Giordano helped guide (Hanifin, Andersson, Kylington) have stepped up admirably.

“They’ve obviously taken the next steps in their careers and I just look back and remember being there at one point in my career,” Giordano said.

“It’s funny because they all started so young so I think people forget that they’re still young guys and I look back at my time here, very similar…they’re looking great. I’ve been paying attention to the Flames as much as I can and those guys have really stepped up and played a huge role on this team.”

And on Saturday night, ten thousand Calgary Flames fans will sound like many multiples of that, as the franchise salutes one of the greatest to don its colours.