The Calgary Flames are feeling pretty lucky after an MRI on the hamstring of defenseman Mark Giordano showed he does not need surgery.
Giordano, the Flames' captain and reigning Norris Trophy winner, will be monitored on a week-to-week basis. That means that Giordano could still help the Flames' playoff push. Calgary is currently clinging to the second wild card in the West.
Giordano was hurt in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks. He left the game in the second period, after attempting a one-time shot that stretched his legs awkwardly as he fell to the ice.
"We dodged that bullet," general manager Brad Treliving said, according to the team's website. "We'll get through this next week, take the first week off, and then monitor it. Hopefully he's back sooner rather than later, but it's certainly good news from where we were two nights ago, thinking this was something that could keep him out the rest of the year. ... Probably the best thing I can give you is probably a better sense a week from now, once we know a little bit better in terms of identifying a return date."
Giordano said that he will not rush back, returning only when he's healthy enough to contribute.
"This one, there's no timeline," he said. "We're going to go day-to-day, week-to-week, but I think it's very encouraging that my season is not lost and I can get back after the rehab process."
Giordano, 36, is in his 13th season in the NHL. He has five goals and 27 points for the Flames, but his true worth is on Calgary's back line, where he leads the team with an average of 23 minutes, 57 seconds on ice per game. He has 143 shots on net, most of them slap shots from the point.
Giordano's career season was 2018-19, when he became the first Flames player in franchise history to win the Norris as the league's best defenseman. He was also just the fourth player 35 or older to win the award, after finishing second among NHL players at his position with 74 points.