Kraken captain Mark Giordano returns to practice after time in COVID protocol
Seattle’s captain is back.
Defenseman Mark Giordano, who had been quarantined in Tampa, Florida for 10 days in COVID-19 protocol, returned to the ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex on Tuesday.
After getting tested the morning of Seattle’s game against Tampa Bay on Nov. 26, Giordano went to his room to have his pregame meal. That’s when he received a call from the athletic trainer letting him know he tested positive. He was then placed in the protocol. Two more tests confirmed the positive result.
“It’s tough to sit in your room by yourself for 10 days,” Giordano said after practice. “But you just listen to the docs and our staff and talk to them daily and go from there. Just had some time to myself, reflect on a few things I guess over the 10 days. Thank God for iPads and phones and being able to Facetime my family and stuff like that.”
Giordano said he felt mostly normal during his stay in Florida, save a loss of taste and minor congestion. He landed in Seattle Monday afternoon, and the first thing he was able to taste was his meal of chicken and pasta at home.
“It caught me off guard (when) I could taste it,” he said. “It’s a weird, weird feeling being hungry and not being able to taste food. I don’t wish it on anyone.”
Giordano was the third Seattle player to miss games due to COVID. Calle Jarnkrok was out at the beginning of the season, and Jared McCann sat at the start of November. General manager Ron Francis said before the season that the players were 100% vaccinated.
The Kraken went 2-2-1 without Giordano, winning five of seven before suffering their worse loss of the season — 6-1 to the Penguins — on Monday night. The defeat led to a tense post-game press conference with head coach Dave Hakstol, and that mood appeared to linger during an intense practice on Tuesday.
“I wasn’t looking at sending a message today,” Hakstol said. “They went out and worked. That’s what we do. We feel like we got away from that a little bit (on Monday), and we got back to it today. There’s nothing more, nothing less to practice today. It was a hard-working practice with guys competing.”
Giordano admitted it was a tough practice, particularly for a player just returning from COVID protocol. But it might have been exactly what he needed.
“It was the perfect practice for me, to be honest,” Girodano said, “to get back in and get my lungs and my legs where they need to be. I’m just looking forward now to feeling way better (Wednesday) and then from there looking forward to Thursday.”
It’s possible that Giordano could return for Thursday’s game against Winnipeg at Climate Pledge Arena — and after Monday’s performance, the Kraken could certainly use him. But neither Girodano nor Haktol was ready to commit to his game status after Tuesday’s practice.
“Honestly, I haven’t talked to Gio about it. First day today getting him back on the ice. I have to talk to him personally about it. We have a full today of practice (Wednesday) before game day. Knowing Gio, he’s going to be shooting for and pushing for Thursday night.”
Noteworthy
Goaltender Chris Driedger, who was placed on injured reserve last week, participated in practice with Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord. Calle Jarnkrok, who is also on injured reserve, was not on the ice. He was a game-time decision for Monday’s game against the Penguins and didn’t play.
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Kraken captain Mark Giordano returns to practice after time in COVID protocol."
