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Jake Gardiner

slapshot said:
Damien Cox wrote this ridiculous piece (with a worse headline by the editor) in today's star. He must be drinking from the wrong side of the kool-air jar again. If the Leafs were to include Gardiner in some sort of package for Rick Nash, there would have to be some kind of mutiny in Leaf Nation. I can't believe for one minute, from everything I've seen of Burkie, that he has lost his marbles altogether.
Everyone and their dog recognizes the potential in this kid and he is only getting better as the season progresses. He could be down right scary in a couple of years.
No disrepect for Nash, but give the ages, the contracts and the importance of the positions, I wouldn't make the deal straight - I'm not kidding.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1133576--cox-talented-toronto-maple-leafs-rookie-jake-gardiner-may-have-to-go
Click to expand...

I do not see Burke dealing Gardiner either, certainly not for Nash.  Cox is right though as we really don't know how good Gardiner can be.  Gardiner could be better than Nash someday.  We are starting to get a feel as to the ceiling for Schenn though as we have watched him in a Leaf uni for a few years now.  I believe that Burke lets him go ahead of Gardiner in any deal.
 
The kid is going to be the real thing. Only thing I wish is that he was a little bit tougher but the truth is this team doesn't really have anyone fitting that bill except for Brown, Schenn and Komi. When I mean tougher I don't mean fights just guys that are willing to scarifice thier body game in game out. The forwards are small and for the most part shy away from physicality and our "D" I feel has become way too soft. Aulie and Franson are just 2 huge towering softies. For their size they should be smashing guys and that I think is part of our problem in our own end. Nobody takes the body especially in the crease. Teams figure this out. Burke's plan to build a tough, big team has completely done a 360 and although I like the speed game we play we still need those guys that put a little fear in the opposition. Getting back to Gardiner. Kids a keeper. Said about a month ago how he was getting better not so much with handling the puck but joining in the rush and jumping into scoring oppurtunities. I thought he was holding back at the beginning of the year. He's only going to get better. He's got the offensive skills with the puck and unprecedented poise. He'll be our #1 d man in no time with top minutes and running our PP. He's not going anywhere.
 
I agree.... with the way the Leafs have been playing, he's certainly one of the few continual bright spots.... a keeper
 
leafplasma said:
slapshot said:
Damien Cox wrote this ridiculous piece (with a worse headline by the editor) in today's star. He must be drinking from the wrong side of the kool-air jar again. If the Leafs were to include Gardiner in some sort of package for Rick Nash, there would have to be some kind of mutiny in Leaf Nation. I can't believe for one minute, from everything I've seen of Burkie, that he has lost his marbles altogether.
Everyone and their dog recognizes the potential in this kid and he is only getting better as the season progresses. He could be down right scary in a couple of years.
No disrepect for Nash, but give the ages, the contracts and the importance of the positions, I wouldn't make the deal straight - I'm not kidding.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1133576--cox-talented-toronto-maple-leafs-rookie-jake-gardiner-may-have-to-go
Click to expand...

I do not see Burke dealing Gardiner either, certainly not for Nash.  Cox is right though as we really don't know how good Gardiner can be.  Gardiner could be better than Nash someday.  We are starting to get a feel as to the ceiling for Schenn though as we have watched him in a Leaf uni for a few years now.  I believe that Burke lets him go ahead of Gardiner in any deal.
Click to expand...

Agreed, in fact if Burke deals Jake, then it's time to package Brian off the the laughing academy. Trading Gardiner to obtain the NHL's 70th scorer (okay, I know Nash is better that that stat indicates but still, he is a winger and we need a centre) makes about as much sense as that other suggestion of dealing Kessel for Nash.

I still think we take Mason and his contract as part of the consideration for Nash -- or for Carter if it should come to that. We are not shining in goal at the moment so we either rely on Francois to work magic or we eat Mason's salary at the AHL level.

We have the economic clout to do such things and there is no time like the present to use it, if we want to both make the playoffs this year (we will still get slaughtered if we finish 8th and I admit that making the playoff is a minimal goal) and to strengthen the team in the longer term.
 
Per Mike Brophy on Twitter, Gardiner will be sent to the Marlies temporarily today to allow him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs.
 
Screwball said:
Per Mike Brophy on Twitter, Gardiner will be sent to the Marlies temporarily today to allow him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs.
Click to expand...

Good. At least, that will guarantee him some kind of post-season experience.
 
Screwball said:
Per Mike Brophy on Twitter, Gardiner will be sent to the Marlies temporarily today to allow him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs.
Click to expand...

How long does he need to stay in the AHL to qualify for the post season?
 
RedLeaf said:
Screwball said:
Per Mike Brophy on Twitter, Gardiner will be sent to the Marlies temporarily today to allow him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs.
Click to expand...

How long does he need to stay in the AHL to qualify for the post season?
Click to expand...
Doesn't even need to play a game, it's just a paper transaction, his name only needs to be on the clear day roster.
 
WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:
RedLeaf said:
Screwball said:
Per Mike Brophy on Twitter, Gardiner will be sent to the Marlies temporarily today to allow him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs.
Click to expand...

How long does he need to stay in the AHL to qualify for the post season?
Click to expand...
Doesn't even need to play a game, it's just a paper transaction, his name only needs to be on the clear day roster.
Click to expand...
Good to know.Thanks.
 
Really looking forward to seeing Gardiner in the AHL playoffs. He should make a huge difference for the Marlies especially on the power play.

The one bright light on this abysmal season.
 
His season was very encouraging, but I think one thing we need to be careful about is banking on Gardiner being that much better next year.  He still has to face the dreaded sophomore slump next year.
 
L K said:
His season was very encouraging, but I think one thing we need to be careful about is banking on Gardiner being that much better next year.  He still has to face the dreaded sophomore slump next year.
Click to expand...

And really, he was pretty terrible defensively and it was (and I'm not saying wrongly) mostly overlooked because he's a rookie and such a good skater.  But man was he out of position a lot defensively, even in comparison to the Leafs poor defensive play.

Although they said it was only his 5th or 6th season playing D, so not altogether unsurprising that his offensive instincts would be better.
 
Potvin29 said:
L K said:
His season was very encouraging, but I think one thing we need to be careful about is banking on Gardiner being that much better next year.  He still has to face the dreaded sophomore slump next year.
Click to expand...

And really, he was pretty terrible defensively and it was (and I'm not saying wrongly) mostly overlooked because he's a rookie and such a good skater.  But man was he out of position a lot defensively, even in comparison to the Leafs poor defensive play.

Although they said it was only his 5th or 6th season playing D, so not altogether unsurprising that his offensive instincts would be better.
Click to expand...

The nice thing is his offensive instincts seemed to take off in the second half of the year, so hopefully he can build off of that, but yeah, while he played "well" defensively for a rookie, he wasn't good defensively by any means. 

October - December: 35 GP - 0G 9A - 0.257 PPG
January - April:          40 GP - 7G 14A - 0.525 PPG

It wasn't like he relied heavily on the PP either as only 1G 4A of his 21 points were put up with the man advantage in the second half of the year.
If Gardiner can learn how to put up points on the PP he could really be a candidate to be a 50ish point offensive defenseman.  If he can get into that kind of territory, bad defense isn't going to be a great thing, but you can overlook an awful lot of it.
 
Yes, again it may look like the Liles signing may come back to bite us.  Gardiner's defence along with Liles and really even Phaneuf may take some of the lustre off their offensive contributions.  Franson is in the same boat, week defensively and a plus on the offensive side.  We need to deal some of this away for some solid back end defensive help and I don't think that should be a difficult task.  Offensive flair goes along way in the trade dept.
 
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