With the NHL regular season off and running, there are still a number of veteran defensemen who hope the game hasn’t completely passed them by.
Mark Giordano, John Klingberg, Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk are among the free agents currently without a contract who still hope to find their way back to an NHL roster during the 2024-25 campaign.
They account for 3,754 combined games played at the NHL level — plus multiple Stanley Cup championships, a Norris Trophy and numerous other accolades.
There are no restrictions on where and when they can sign. They need only find someone to offer a contract.
With that in mind, here’s what we’re hearing about each player’s situation while they wait for the phone to ring.
Mark Giordano
The oldest player in the NHL last season still has designs on squeezing in one more year at age 41.
Giordano spent the summer skating with Toronto-based NHLers and has continued to train since they dispersed for training camp. He’s pushed himself particularly hard in on-ice sessions while trying to fend off Father Time and work his way back to a league where 39-year-old Ryan Suter of the St. Louis Blues is currently slated to be the oldest skater.
Giordano has already enjoyed a 1,148-game NHL career but continues to chase an elusive Stanley Cup — making it a priority for him to try to land a depth job with one of the teams in contender mode.
The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers are among those seen as appealing possibilities.
The 2019 Norris Trophy winner suited up for 46 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season but was scratched for the entirety of a seven-game playoff series against the Boston Bruins. Still, he’s remained reliable well beyond an age where most can even play in the NHL, and he’s posted a plus rating at five-on-five in five of the past six seasons.
On top of that, he’s been a valued locker-room voice who previously served as a captain for the Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken.
John Klingberg
Now nine months since Klingberg underwent a double hip resurfacing procedure, the 32-year-old is deep into the rehabilitation work he hopes will allow him to resume his NHL career later this season.
Klingberg’s procedure was performed by Dr. Edwin Su at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York — the same surgeon who operated on Patrick Kane’s right hip in 2023. Those two players have been in contact during Klingberg’s recovery period.
Of particular note when it comes to the Swede’s file is that he previously came back from a double hip surgery in April 2015 — before he established himself as one of the NHL’s better puck-distributing power-play specialists. His past two NHL seasons were hampered by hip discomfort, with Klingberg limited to just 14 games last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs before he was forced to shut things down and go for surgery in January 2024.
The right-shot defenseman is skating in the Greater Toronto Area as part of an extensive rehab program. While there is no firm timetable on when he’s expected to be ready for NHL action, there is hope his health will allow it at some point in the new year.
Klingberg is eligible to sign a performance bonus-laden one-year contract that reduces the risk being taken by an interested team because he’s a veteran of more than 400 NHL games who spent more than 100 days on injured reserve last season.
Justin Schultz
This is a unique situation because the 34-year-old is coming off a season where he held down a regular spot in the Seattle Kraken’s lineup and he’s already passed on other NHL opportunities over the summer, according to league sources.
Schultz still feels like he has something to give. He’s just waiting for the right situation and fit.
The right-shot defenseman has quietly enjoyed a career that would make Forrest Gump jealous. How many other players can say they’ve been teammates with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin?
Schultz also owns two Stanley Cup rings, has played in multiple desirable cities and has more than 800 NHL games on his resume over 12 years. It’s been an incredible run for a guy who was once a heavily in-demand NCAA free agent when he left the University of Wisconsin in 2012.
Don’t rule out the possibility Schultz ends up going to Europe for a different experience if the right NHL opportunity doesn’t emerge.
Kevin Shattenkirk
It’s been somewhat surprising Shattenkirk hasn’t found the right fit after serving as a dependable option for the Bruins last season.
The 35-year-old unrestricted free agent, with 952 NHL games under his belt, averaged nearly 16 minutes per night for Boston and dressed for six Bruins playoff games in the spring.
His camp, led by agent Jordan Neumann, remains in constant communication with several teams, having in-depth conversations about his client’s potential fit. It’s believed the Edmonton Oilers are among the teams that have talked to them.
Shattenkirk’s camp is patiently waiting for the right fit while the former Team USA Olympian works out daily in Connecticut with hockey trainer Ben Prentiss.
He’s been known as a high-character player in every dressing room he’s called home and won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.
(Photo of Mark Giordano: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
