from Eric Francis of Sportsnet,

Known for 17 years in Calgary as the type of guy who’d block a shot with his face to win an exhibition game, Mark Giordano’s ultimate act of selflessness came in the dying hours of his storied Flames tenure.

“Going through this process just tells you about the guy,” said general manager Brad Treliving, who spoke “hourly” with his captain leading up to Seattle’s decision to draft the fiercely loyal defender.

“He’s telling me, ‘you’ve got to make the smart play here -- remember, I’m 38 years old.’ As much as he’s dying to stay here he looks at it through, ‘what’s best for the long-term interest of the club.’ Totally selfless all the time.”

Simply put, no team lost more to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday than the Calgary Flames.

For the Flames it’s a devastating blow at a crucial time, depriving a reeling organization of its leader and its poster boy for perseverance, hard work and dedication.

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