Jake Gardiner 2.0 - More beast than man now, I am afraid...

LeafFever

Registered User
Feb 12, 2016
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You're calling something that's true a myth with a myth of your own, because you don't remember what actually happened. McCabes defensive effectiveness took a nosedive when they started calling interference, and it wasn't just about his "can opener" (which was often a penalty even before they started called obstruction, it was tripping). It was about his slow pivot and inability to transition from backward to forward skating to beat a forward to a dump-in, and his tendency to keep a tight gap in the neutral zone because he was used to making up for his slowness with interference.

In the post-lockout season McCabe scored 19 goals and 49 assists, which is almost certanly what you're looking at when you say it was his "best year." What actually happened is that, league-wide, penalties went up enormously that year as all the rule changes came into effect. Remember it wasn't just interference/obstruction, it was the 2-line pass. Of those 19 goals and 49 assists, 13 and 32 respectively were scored on the PP. At even strength he was awful. Don't forget he was the trigger-man on a PP unit with Kaberle and Sundin.

That was also the year that Tucker TRIPLED his previous career high in PP production. Lots of cross-crease tap-ins from Sundin, if I recall.

I watched every game of the 05-06 season. The guy was fantastic. The Leafs could not win a game without him. It is indeed a myth.
 

LeafFever

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Feb 12, 2016
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Emphasis on early 2000s. Leafs fans absolutely turned on him, he got consistently boo'ed at home after he put that puck into his own net, which unless I'm mistaken was the second time he did that.

But he was legitimately bad at everything but the PP 1-timer after the rule changes, and a couple years later even that no longer worked for him. And his contract was huge. Giving him too much credit is giving Kaberle too little credit.
It really wasn't. On another team no one would have mentioned it.
 

Joey Hoser

Registered User
Jan 8, 2008
14,232
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Guelph
That's because most Leafs fans on HF are over-emotional...I'm rational and don't get caught up in the emotions. One good or bad game doesn't cut it with my opinion of Gardiner...been watching him since I think 2012 and haven't seen an improvement. Same silly mistakes, same brain farts, same moments of brilliance. Not worth it for the Leafs... if Babcock could turn around Kadri's offensive game, surely we would have seen something similar with that of Gardiner defensive game.

"I'm rational"

Yeah and I'm really smart and good-looking. Way smarter and better looking than everyone else.
 

studebaker17

Registered User
Jan 24, 2010
1,234
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You're remembering wrong. He was part of the Muskoka Five and might have been the one treated the worst.
His off ice quotes didn't help him win the fans over either. especially in the lock out when he was so militant. He became a bit of a poster boy for the muskoka 5 and high salary's .
 

bunjay

Registered User
Nov 9, 2008
12,992
58
It really wasn't. On another team no one would have mentioned it.

On another team everyone would have mentioned it. He signed a $6 mil/year contract when the salary cap was $44 mil/year. No trade clause and his play at even strength fell off a cliff. As a percentage of the cap that contract would be just over $10 mil/year today.
 

bunjay

Registered User
Nov 9, 2008
12,992
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I watched every game of the 05-06 season. The guy was fantastic. The Leafs could not win a game without him. It is indeed a myth.

Lots of people watched the games, I don't think many would agree with you that McCabe was "fantastic" anywhere but the PP.
 

Ratboy

I made a funny!
Jul 15, 2009
16,855
3,343
Gardiner has some games where he skates like the wind, and has a shot to match.

Other games he plays like a complete moron. Last couple of games hes made some bad and costly decisions.

Say what you will about Rielly, but the kid has a higher hockey IQ and I feel safe whenever he has to recover the puck. Not so much with Jake.
 

thewave

Registered User
Jun 17, 2011
39,878
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Jake?! What did you do go sniffing gas?! Are you on the salts buddy?! Wake up Jake Gardiner buddy old pal, you look terrible. Tidy up that game!
 

Bluelines

Python FTW!
Nov 17, 2013
12,349
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Yes I am...thanks for reiterating it.

LOL great reply, when JH replied to you in the manner he did he's admitting he has no argument... and by the way no you are not I AM... my mom tells me all the time I'm the smartest, best looking kid around!
 

thewave

Registered User
Jun 17, 2011
39,878
9,715
LOL great reply, when JH replied to you in the manner he did he's admitting he has no argument... and by the way no you are not I AM... my mom tells me all the time I'm the smartest, best looking kid around!

She hasn't met me yet. Hello Mrs. Blue lines Senior! I'm... The , Wave.
 
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Bluelines

Python FTW!
Nov 17, 2013
12,349
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Gardiner has some games where he skates like the wind, and has a shot to match.

Other games he plays like a complete moron. Last couple of games hes made some bad and costly decisions.

Say what you will about Rielly, but the kid has a higher hockey IQ and I feel safe whenever he has to recover the puck. Not so much with Jake.

Which is all true, on a team with a good D Jake would be given protected minutes, which we are not, we haven't had a good D in almost 25 years, so Jake is forced to play tough minutes he shouldn't be playing... the guy is elite at what he does well but he is horrible and the things he does bad. There is not a single defender on the Leafs that you could call elite, there is not a single defender on t he Leafs that you can rely on every night.If you allow the Leafs an easy game they will embarrass you, if you play them tough they will fold like a cheap tent. There is no fight. One could say that he Leafs had so few injuries last year because they play a soft game.

So until then, hopefully Babs can get through to his team that they are no where near a complete product, their compete level is s*hit their, defensive game is s*it and their forwards for the most part are one way prima donnas that couldn't check their coat at a dance club. This team will continue to be a roller coaster ride till they learn that scoring is not everything, its something but its not everything. This team lacks work ethic.
 
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Brobust

Registered User
Sep 29, 2017
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I don't think this guy can handle anything more than 3rd or 4th line matchups.
 

thewave

Registered User
Jun 17, 2011
39,878
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I don't think this guy can handle anything more than 3rd or 4th line matchups.

No he can handle top competition but is playing like crap. He and a lot of guys on the team need to stop watching in awe of Nylander and Matthews and play at both ends the rink.
 

Bluelines

Python FTW!
Nov 17, 2013
12,349
4,559
I don't think this guy can handle anything more than 3rd or 4th line matchups.

In realty Jake is not the type of defender you want matching up against a 1st line, Jake generates offence, Jake needs a defensive beast to play with him, that is not a slight against Zaitsev, its just a reality that Zaits is the best we have to defend with Jake and that tells you we have (2) #3 dmen and (2) #4 dmen, we don't have a true #1 or a true #2 and when you have wingers as poor defensively as ours, our defence gets exposed, I guarantee if our wingers get better defensively , our dmen will look instantly better. Jake is a very good Dman , hes a poor #1 dman
 

LeafFever

Registered User
Feb 12, 2016
18,890
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On another team everyone would have mentioned it. He signed a $6 mil/year contract when the salary cap was $44 mil/year. No trade clause and his play at even strength fell off a cliff. As a percentage of the cap that contract would be just over $10 mil/year today.
For proof this is incorrect: Ed Jovanoski signed 5 year deal with the Coyotees for 5 years/6.5 million per at the same time with worse stats in both offensive and defensively play. He played bad, the team was badand no one said anything.
 

LeafFever

Registered User
Feb 12, 2016
18,890
6,178
Lots of people watched the games, I don't think many would agree with you that McCabe was "fantastic" anywhere but the PP.

Yet they went 0-8 without him in the lineup and as a result, missed the playoffs.
 

bunjay

Registered User
Nov 9, 2008
12,992
58
For proof this is incorrect: Ed Jovanoski signed 5 year deal with the Coyotees for 5 years/6.5 million per at the same time with worse stats in both offensive and defensively play. He played bad, the team was badand no one said anything.

Yet they went 0-8 without him in the lineup and as a result, missed the playoffs.


By your odd reasoning the fact that Team Canada replaced an injured Jovanovski with McCabe for the Turin Olympics and failed to defend their gold medal (or get any medal at all) proves that McCabe actually sucks.
 

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