Value of: Gardiner Should be shopped

[Nervousbreakdown]

No, it wouldn't.

It would, and youre going to be in for a big shock next season when the leafs are sorely missing that production and aren't any better at keeping the puck out of their own net.

 

[FerrisRox]

Trading a guy who could help your team win in the playoffs for picks or prospects while the team is on the verge of being a contender really seems like it is grounds to fire the GM.

I think it's addition by subtraction. I don't think they would be trading someone that can help them in the playoffs.

 

[mulefarm]

So the only playoff games Jake had an impact on were the loses?

 

[Oddbob]

Great. He's going to need a new 6-7 million dollar a year, long term contract, tho.

Make us an offer.

We are rebuilding, not looking for a UFA aged player or players.

 

[Holymakinaw]

We are rebuilding, not looking for a UFA aged player or players.

Copy THAT.

Anyone else? Anyone at all?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Bueller?

 

[HoweHullOrr]

the defense without him will be awful next year, which means you either have to sign someone (doubt it). So it's either give up assets in a trade or rely on lijegren/sandin which while good prospects, I don't want 20 and 19 year olds on a contending team given top 4 roles

Agree with the above. Gardiner is like a lot of PMD. While they create offense and are decent defensively (not excellent & not bad), they make some mistakes.

We have been generating trade proposals for about the last 2 1/2 years [i.e., JVR/Bozak, 2nd + Neilsen/Marincin (whatever AHL/NHL tweener) for Team X's stud defender] and not too surprisingly (for some), none have come to fruition. NHL GMs & coaches place high value and covet their young defenders because it takes a lot of time for them to develop and because they are in low supply while demand is high. You'd think we would have learned that by now. Decent UFA defenders demand big bucks which of course is problematic because of cap limitations.

Improvement of our blueline will have to depend on the development and progression of our prospects like Liljegren & Sandin.

 

[Community]

Ask yourselves would you trust Jake g in a game 7 scenario protecting a lead ? See game 7 last year vs Bruins for reference and make your decisions.

Great point.

Guess that means that Ristolainen, Krug, Gostisbehere, Klingberg, and all the other offensive-orentated defensemen should be hitting the open market any second now, not that anybody will want them though.



Such a silly post. Jake G is the type of player you want when you are down a goal late in game 7 as his smooth skating and playmaking from the backend can help you score that last minute goal to tie it up. He's also a possession beast that does more to benefit than harm us and put up 50pts last year.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

why don't the leafs just resign him? Leaf fans have made it clear they will have no trouble keeping all their key players

Someone is paying attention. LOL.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

If the hype is for real then there's 7 more years where this one came from, with a better defenseman or 2 added. This is the NHL where even the best team only has maybe a 15% chance of winning the cup. No 1 year trumps the rest of them. 7 years of a better team easily makes you more likely to win the cup then that 1 year of keeping the UFA. And it's really not even close.

Are you saying that building a team is like building wealth i.e., invest with a long term prospective?

 

[Incetardis]

I've been saying this for awhile. Its not addition by subtraction. A thin D corps gets even thinner but as is if this team is going to have any success in the playoffs it's going to be inspite of the defence. The status quo isn't good enough so might as well move on and try something else. Jake is just not the type of player we need and it's a moot point cause he's too expensive to keep around anyways. Move him for assets right now and start focusing on the players that are still here. I'd like to see a lineup like...

Rielly - Zaitsev
Dermott - Hainsey
Marincin/warm body - Ozzy/Holl

Roll with this the rest of the year and see how they perform. Bottom pairing sucks but it does now too. I like Hainsey with Dermott cause he can mentor him a bit the same way he did Rielly and he also gets less minutes on a second pairing and hopefully won't burn out half way through the season like last year. The top pairing is what it should be right now IMO. Zaits is the best dman we have in his own zone ATM. He's also got the overall game to go with it. I think he's looked good so far and really there is no other option at this point. Rielly is what he is, a borderline elite dman. He's become a legit #1 in this league. The debate is over. They just need to find someone to play alongside him and we'd have the best top pairing in a decade (since Kaberle & McCabe anyways)

 

[FlyingLeafus]

He's destined for FA IMO unless Dubas can get something worthwhile from another GM, and I don't see it happening (unless someone else gets desperate for this type of player). It's not worth it to move him for a meh package so we'll give him one more kick at the playoff can. He won't be worth whatever contract he ends up getting though so I'll be happy when they move on. Anyone who would make significant roster moves to fit him in the cap is making a mistake, just let him walk.

 

[Newsworthy]

Why do the Leafs want to trade Gardiner?

 

[Drake1588]

Good teams don't look at a roster player heading for free agency and force a binary choice: 1) he's part of our core and thus long-term future, or 2) he isn't and therefore we need to maximize our asset management by trading him now while he has any value remaining.

• The Leafs are a good team with aspirations to improve this year (e.g. win a playoff round or better).
• Gardiner can help them do that.
• They likely can't afford the salary he will earn as a UFA on the open market.
• No, he's probably not in their long-term plans.

As a good team, the Leafs are about to be a club that lets players walk at the end of their UFA year. Then they sign cost-effective replacements to round out their top-heavy hi-lo mix of expensive core players and low-cost support cast. You can do this, because as a good team, you attract free agents.

In my view, the Leafs need to turn over a healthy portion of their defense to improve, anyway, to evolve into a balanced contender. So I don't see this as all bad. It just places pressure on the front office to find solid replacements.

 

[WJCJ]

Um........I wonder if you wouldn't mind saying that part again?

Haha. Ok. I get it, fair enough. I guess he shouldn’t return much if anything then.

 

[WJCJ]

I think it's addition by subtraction. I don't think they would be trading someone that can help them in the playoffs.

Fair enough, his price would be pretty low then I guess.

 

[Brobust]

I'm actually starting to like the Gardiner-Zaitsev pairing.

Obviously, he should be the last priority. But they should definitely look at re-signing him after figuring out the deals for the young guys.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Fair enough, his price would be pretty low then I guess.

I'm sure we could get a pick for him. Maybe even an okay prospect. Better than paying him 6-7 million a year on his next contract.

 

[TheScandal89]

It will suck losing him for nothing, but we don't have a player ready to step in his place yet.

Next year you have arguably 1 of Dermott, Lilly or Sandin to attempt to replace his spot/production. I mention Sandin only cause the way he's started in the A, is how I expected Lilly to be this year...at least numbers wise.

 

[Keon1963]

Good teams don't look at a roster player heading for free agency and force a binary choice: 1) he's part of our core and thus long-term future, or 2) he isn't and therefore we need to maximize our asset management by trading him now while he has any value remaining.

• The Leafs are a good team with aspirations to improve this year (e.g. win a playoff round or better).
• Gardiner can help them do that.
• They likely can't afford the salary he will earn as a UFA on the open market.
• No, he's probably not in their long-term plans.

As a good team, the Leafs are about to be a club that lets players walk at the end of their UFA year. Then they sign cost-effective replacements to round out their top-heavy hi-lo mix of expensive core players and low-cost support cast. You can do this, because as a good team, you attract free agents.

In my view, the Leafs need to turn over a healthy portion of their defense to improve, anyway, to evolve into a balanced contender. So I don't see this as all bad. It just places pressure on the front office to find solid replacements.

This is one of the best, clear, thought-out posts of the year. IMHO

 

[Keon1963]

Why do the Leafs want to trade Gardiner?

'I have never heard anything in the media about the Leafs wanting to trade Gardiner. Do you have a source you can quote?

 

[Newsworthy]

'I have never heard anything in the media about the Leafs wanting to trade Gardiner. Do you have a source you can quote?

Then close this thread.

 

[Colt55]

The difference is the Blues have never had a true star. Tare recently but even still he isn't really at that level. The blues were always the bubble team. Not bad enough to get good prospects, not good enough to ever really win a cup or even challenge for one.

Leafs on the other hand were really bad. Blues were making the playoffs, Leafs were drafting the depth your organization acquired while spinning their tires. Now the Blues are in the same spot, and the Leafs collected their depth and have the star power to go for it. Adding a bunch of bottom 6ers and 2nd line wingers years away do not help especially when they already have a good enough depth cast that guys like Kapenen can sit there and when he gets minutes becomes that impact type of player.

I just think they are in different spots. The Blues just want to stay a playoff team. The Leafs want to win one.

Brett hull, Adam oates Brendan shannahan, beanie federko Chris pronger Scott stevens, Curtis Joseph , Grant fuhr Wayne gretzky, tarasenko, petro,

Sorry way delayed response

 

[Kamiccolo]

Brett hull, Adam oates Brendan shannahan, beanie federko Chris pronger Scott stevens, Curtis Joseph , Grant fuhr Wayne gretzky, tarasenko, petro,

Sorry way delayed response

Sorry I didn't mean ever.. Blues have had better players than the Leafs. I mean in this entire 5+ year window they have been in.

 

[Colt55]

Sorry I didn't mean ever.. Blues have had better players than the Leafs. I mean in this entire 5+ year window they have been in.

Just petro, tarasenko

 

[Kupo]

Gardiner is literally, the only Leafs player that is underrated imo..

Crazy.