Confirmed Signing with Link: [CAR] Jake Gardiner to the Carolina Hurricanes (4 years, $4.05M AAV)

[Warden of the North]

Right. Look at the post above yours. Poor hockey IQ. That's literally the complete opposite of Gardiner. I think people forget how good prime Gardiner was. He was a #1D and one of the best puck movers in the NHL. I'd still take him back, but the injury concerns are scary.

He was never a 1D. Come on.

Offensively fine, but he has always had major defensive issues. Analytics be damned, his mistakes were extremely costly when they happened, and he crumbled in pressure situations.

 

[Commander Clueless]

He's always been prone to the occasional spectacular brain fart, but I fear those back injuries have really taken away from what made him good.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

He was never a 1D. Come on.

Offensively fine, but he has always had major defensive issues. Analytics be damned, his mistakes were extremely costly when they happened, and he crumbled in pressure situations.

He was a #1D for around a season and a half. The amount he impacted the game was insane. By most metrics he was comfortably a top 15-20 d.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Prime Gardiner was a beast and a #1D. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Haha. Take your blue color glasses off please. A #1D beast eh? . I think you mean Rielly? He's a good one and can play at both ends. If Gardiner was so good, you would of not traded for Muzzin. I'm not a Dubas fan but he was right to add Muzzin and let Gardiner go.

The views from the 6ix must always look good with those Blue Color Glasses on all the time

 

[Cotton]

Right. Look at the post above yours. Poor hockey IQ. That's literally the complete opposite of Gardiner. I think people forget how good prime Gardiner was. He was a #1D and one of the best puck movers in the NHL. I'd still take him back, but the injury concerns are scary.

What are you even talking about, Jake's number one flaw is his hockey IQ. He's so mistake prone because he doesn't have the ability to learn from them and adjust, so he keeps repeating them.

Seems like a great guy, teammates obviously love him, has some skills... no toolbox and overrated because of analytics fanboys.

 

[Habs Halifax]

He was never a 1D. Come on.

Offensively fine, but he has always had major defensive issues. Analytics be damned, his mistakes were extremely costly when they happened, and he crumbled in pressure situations.

Agreed. You are one of the good Leafs fans that don't wear the Blue Color Glasses all the time. Saying Gardiner is a #1D is very comical. Rielly is the good one. Sandin has a lot of potential. Muzzin is a very good 2nd pairing guy. Dermott has maturing to do and is not the physical type. Who knows how good Liljegren is.

Gardiner was overrated cause his stats were inflated by playing on a stacked offensive team. Take away that situation and what you see today with the Canes is what you get. Reality.

 

[Habs Halifax]

What are you even talking about, Jake's number one flaw is his hockey IQ. He's so mistake prone because he doesn't have the ability to learn from them and adjust, so he keeps repeating them.

Seems like a great guy, teammates obviously love him, has some skills... no toolbox and overrated because of analytics fanboys.

You are right, hockey IQ was the issue and his play in his own end was well below average. You were smart to add Muzzin and let Gardiner go.

 

[Drew311]

Gardiner is a disaster of a signing for the Canes this year, and tonight is a glaring example of it. Team plays toe to toe with Boston, even controlling play late, only to see Gardiner badly turn the puck over at the blue line that immediately opens up an odd man rush for the GWG. Just a stupid mindless play that completely changed the end result for them.

He's worthy of being healthy scratched for the short term. He's easily the worst defender on the team. Just not at all worth the contract he signed.

You're going to love him in the playoffs.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Prime Gardiner was a beast and a #1D. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Lol. He literally was never a #1D based on his icetime on any of those Leaf teams and even if he was, it would be like saying Tyler Bozak was a #1 Center or Peter Holland was a 1RW.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I recall Hurricane fans saying Gardiner was doing great earlier in the season and neutral fans were saying he's much better than Tyson Barrie...I guess his play has severley dipped as season progressed.

 

[sxvnert]

Just wait until he implodes in game #7s a few times and then you'll really love him.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Haha. Take your blue color glasses off please. A #1D beast eh? . I think you mean Rielly? He's a good one and can play at both ends. If Gardiner was so good, you would of not traded for Muzzin. I'm not a Dubas fan but he was right to add Muzzin and let Gardiner go.

The views from the 6ix must always look good with those Blue Color Glasses on all the time

Gardiner was better than Rielly for many years. How is that blue colored glasses? Gardiner doesn't play for my team anymore. Rielly does.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

What are you even talking about, Jake's number one flaw is his hockey IQ. He's so mistake prone because he doesn't have the ability to learn from them and adjust, so he keeps repeating them.

Seems like a great guy, teammates obviously love him, has some skills... no toolbox and overrated because of analytics fanboys.

His numbers were consistently amongst the best in the league. You don't get there with low hockey iq.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

Gardiner has been very bad this season but was extremely consistent the three years prior... wonder if it's just a bad fit.

I'm not sure it's so much the fit as it is the back injury he's been dealing with. As a Leaf fan we were hearing not so encouraging things about his back last season.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Gardiner was better than Rielly for many years. How is that blue colored glasses? Gardiner doesn't play for my team anymore. Rielly does.

I disagree Garnder was better than Rielly for many years. So now do you understand the blue colored glasses?

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

I disagree Garnder was better than Rielly for many years. So now do you understand the blue colored glasses?

I watched every Leafs game during Rielly's tenure. I'm telling you that a player that doesn't play for my team anymore was better than a player that does. I don't understand how that is blue colored glasses at all. That's being brutally honest. If I had blue coloured glasses I'd tell you Gardiner was not even in the same stratosphere as Rielly and couldn't hold his jock.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I watched every Leafs game during Rielly's tenure. I'm telling you that a player that doesn't play for my team anymore was better than a player that does. I don't understand how that is blue colored glasses at all. That's being brutally honest. If I had blue coloured glasses I'd tell you Gardiner was not even in the same stratosphere as Rielly and couldn't hold his jock.

Well, you have your own opinion and I have mind. Not going to engage anymore. I'm just very happy Gardiner said no to Bergevin. What he is dong this year is exactly what I predicted. He's overrated. You don't have to agree and you can keep your blue color glasses on. I watch the games too.

 

[Habs Halifax]

He's always been prone to the occasional spectacular brain fart, but I fear those back injuries have really taken away from what made him good.

You could be right or wrong . Why did the Leafs add Muzzin and when did Gardiner have the back issues? If he was so good as you think he was, why did your GM go after Muzzin... another LD?

I think the back injuries could be a factor but you or I don't know to what extent. It's an idea but prior to the injury, I was never a huge fan so that's where I'm coming from.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Well, you have your own opinion and I have mind. Not going to engage anymore. I'm just very happy Gardiner said no to Bergevin. What he is dong this year is exactly what I predicted. He's overrated. You don't have to agree and you can keep your blue color glasses on. I watch the games too.

You're ignoring the back injuries though. I'm not saying Gardiner is that good anymore, I'm saying he WAS. Which is why I think people forget how good Gardiner was. It's recency bias. Gardiner in his prime was a beast. Elite puck mover, amazing skater. Obviously the back injuries have impacted him.

 

[grapes55]

You could be right or wrong . Why did the Leafs add Muzzin and when did Gardiner have the back issues? If he was so good as you think he was, why did your GM go after Muzzin... another LD?

I think the back injuries could be a factor but you or I don't know to what extent. It's an idea but prior to the injury, I was never a huge fan so that's where I'm coming from.

Leafs added Muzzin because they had only 2 D-men capable of playing in the top 4 adequately, one of which was Gardner. At that point, handedness wasn't the main priority

 

[tarheelhockey]

In the small sample that we've seen of him in Carolina, he doesn't strike me as problematic due to gaffes. At least not any more so than your typical PMD.

The issue so far is that he doesn't look particularly mobile, which speaks more to back issues and perhaps a lack of full range of motion during recovery.

This is a little bit like what we saw from Hamilton last year when he was playing through a broken hand, looked generally OK but didn't have that next-level skill we were expecting. Then the hand got better and he has blown up ever since. The big difference, of course, is that you can somewhat protect a hand and let it heal, but a back injury for an active hockey player is a different story.

 

[Commander Clueless]

You could be right or wrong . Why did the Leafs add Muzzin and when did Gardiner have the back issues? If he was so good as you think he was, why did your GM go after Muzzin... another LD?

I think the back injuries could be a factor but you or I don't know to what extent. It's an idea but prior to the injury, I was never a huge fan so that's where I'm coming from.

Obviously I am just speculating, but Gardiner doesn't use his speed and puck skills as much as he used to. He used to be able to wow you both with offensive prowess and defensive mistakes, and from what little I've seen in Carolina as well as his last year with the Leafs, he doesn't use the good part of that skill set as much as he used to....a transition that roughly correlates with an increase in his back spasm problems.

Could it be something else? Absolutely. But he changed as a player, while the gaffes remained the same.

As for the Muzzin thing, I'm guessing it was just availability and the type of player Muzzin is. The Leafs have been searching for a RHD for a long time, but if only LHD were available, they at least needed something.

Gardiner's last season in Toronto was really not good.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Obviously I am just speculating, but Gardiner doesn't use his speed and puck skills as much as he used to. He used to be able to wow you both with offensive prowess and defensive mistakes, and from what little I've seen in Carolina as well as his last year with the Leafs, he doesn't use the good part of that skill set as much as he used to....a transition that roughly correlates with an increase in his back spasm problems.

Could it be something else? Absolutely. But he changed as a player, while the gaffes remained the same.

As for the Muzzin thing, I'm guessing it was just availability and the type of player Muzzin is. The Leafs have been searching for a RHD for a long time, but if only LHD were available, they at least needed something.

Gardiner's last season in Toronto was really not good.

But the last season in Toronto has nothing to do with how I valued him prior to that. We don't see it the same and it's OK.

 

[Commander Clueless]

But the last season in Toronto has nothing to do with how I valued him prior to that. We don't see it the same and it's OK.

I'm not sure I ever disputed your valuation of him (don't even know how you value him, to be honest). I'm only saying that he plays differently now, and that the part of his game he was celebrated for is no longer a strength like it was while the bad part of his game remains a problem.

I was only attempting to answer your questions, and his play last year is part of the reason why I think the injuries are catching up to him.

 

[Warden of the North]

In the small sample that we've seen of him in Carolina, he doesn't strike me as problematic due to gaffes. At least not any more so than your typical PMD.

The issue so far is that he doesn't look particularly mobile, which speaks more to back issues and perhaps a lack of full range of motion during recovery.

This is a little bit like what we saw from Hamilton last year when he was playing through a broken hand, looked generally OK but didn't have that next-level skill we were expecting. Then the hand got better and he has blown up ever since. The big difference, of course, is that you can somewhat protect a hand and let it heal, but a back injury for an active hockey player is a different story.

What became evident late last season and in the playoffs was that his back issues were holding back his PMD abilities and thus saving him from most of his usual problems.

The bad part is hes not good enough without those PMD abilities to play in the NHL