Jake Gardiner...

[Liminality]

I think I've gotten over the first initial emotions of losing an important game and being mad at Gardiner. Before this game 7, Jake was playing alright for the rest of the games. Not great but maybe average.
So Jake is what he is. He's a defender with excellent tools and is great at getting those stretch passes and moving the puck in the offensive. A good offensive D man. I still think he does these plays that make it harder for himself, doesn't make the simple play and seems to give the opponents an opportunity to burn him. He's not quick at getting the puck out of the zone under pressure and seems to struggle with his defensive zone awareness sometimes. He can be physical on the boards sometimes but in front of the net I don't think he does too much.

If we keep Gardiner, we need to limit his minutes. I'm not fully convinced that Dermott can step right in and produce like Gardiner could but I do like how Dermott makes these quick plays to transition from the d zone to neutral zone (he did have some big turnovers in the playoffs still). Problem seems to be that we need another defender that can eat up minutes with Rielly on the top pair to ease the minutes that Gardiner and Zaitsev seem to be getting.

This is a huge what if and probably impossible to answer with how uncertain we are with how we'll look next season, what looks better as our defense?

Rielly-Hainsey/trade/UFA
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Hainsey/trade/UFA

or

Rielly-Hainsey/trade/UFA
Dermott-Zaitsev
Rosen/Borgman-Hainsey/trade/UFA

Hainsey is a stop gap until we find a real top pairing RD clearly. I still think Gardiner can be a part of this team but maybe that changes when he needs a new contract in 2019-2020. He's still a pretty good top 4 d option for now.

 

[shortfuze]

It was his fault. Sure some others guys played dumb dumb but we could have survived it. All five of those icings and Gardiners bone head plays cost us this game. Anyone blaming Andersen is crazy, andy is a beast. The first two he had no chance. Hell the debrusk goal he had Dummy coming at him as well.

Where was Matthews, JVR,Bozak, Zaitsev, Etc. He made some mistakes but that wasn’t
On him. I’m the biggest Gardiner hater but it takes more then 1 player to lose a game.

 

[tmlfan98]

It wasn't just Gardiner's game 7 that confirmed to me that he needs to go. He had two utterly idiotic post game comments after games 5 and 6 that gave me a feeling that he was going to suck in game 7, and boy did he come thru on that.

Game 5: https://www.tsn.ca/video/gardiner-o...in-boston-glad-we-got-over-that-curse~1376917
Wow Gardiner wtf kind of a comment is that? If I were any Leafs player I would not make this kind of statement for 2 reasons. Firstly, at the time the Leafs hadn't even played game 6 yet and weren't even close to winning the series. So if the Leafs had lost game 6 that comment would have looked even worse. Secondly, there is only one curse that ultimately matters and the Leafs at that point were still 14 wins away from breaking it. Gardiner acting like something was accomplished with that game 5 win really irked me, but it was about to get worse.

Game 6: https://www.tsn.ca/video/leafs-gardiner-thepressureskindofoffus-~1377560
Oh my ******* god Jake what do you mean the pressure is kind of off us? You guys still have one more elimination game left to play! **** let's just hope you don't play game 7 like there's any kind of pressure relieved.

Game 7: Jake Gardiner then goes on to play one of the worst games of his pro hockey career.

GET THIS ******* MORON OFF THE TEAM NOW!!! HOW DARE YOU MAKE COMMENTS LIKE THAT AND THEN NOT FOLLOW IT UP BY PLAYING ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF YOUR CAREER, BUT INSTEAD ONE OF THE GUARANTEED WORST!!! THE LEAFS WILL NEVER WIN A STANLEY CUP AS LONG AS THIS LOSER IS STILL HERE!!!

 

[hotpaws]

i have no idea wtf goes through this guys head , he strolls around the ice casually and then panics when he realizes he's gotten himself into trouble

on the DeBrusk goal he's going half speed like he's running a drill in practice then when he finally realizes there's a threat he panics and turns the wrong way allowing DeBrusk enough room to get in front of him and to get his shot off (Andy should have easily stopped the shot but that doesn't change Gards poor read on a very easy play to defend)

he's not a kid any more and he keeps not only making the same mistakes but also doesn't seem to be able to keep focus and i'd love to see him moved this off season

 

[Liminality]

I'm not sure if you can blame people for wanting Gardiner to play tougher but it's on Gardiner to evaluate the situation and know when to stick check and when to try and take the body. Probably wasn't expecting the shot and expected him to drive the net towards Andersen.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

the guy is just brain dead the stupid things he does he has done for years. Biggest game of the year he has his worst game ever.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Nice to see Bourne talk about exactly the same things I've talked about.

But man, every time I see that DeBrusk goal I am in disbelief that the vast majority of blame falls on Gardiner. That's one of the softest goals we've let in in the past two years, and it's the winning goal in a game seven. Yet Andersen somehow escapes a lot of criticism, and a lot of people somehow actually think he was one of our best players this series?

 

[hotpaws]

I'm not sure if you can blame people for wanting Gardiner to play tougher but it's on Gardiner to evaluate the situation and know when to stick check and when to try and take the body. Probably wasn't expecting the shot and expected him to drive the net towards Andersen.

if he played with a sense of urgency and if he had a brain in his head he would have easily ended that rush before it even entered our zone

 

[Prince N]

Nylander I’s gone for D

I think Nylander stays.. Jist because he was a playoff no show so was mathews. We need Nylander.

 

[Al14]

Nice to see Bourne talk about exactly the same things I've talked about.

But man, every time I see that DeBrusk goal I am in disbelief that the vast majority of blame falls on Gardiner. That's one of the softest goals we've let in in the past two years, and it's the winning goal in a game seven. Yet Andersen somehow escapes a lot of criticism, and a lot of people somehow actually think he was one of our best players this series?

Exactly! Just because Gardiner screwed the coverage on DeBrusk doesn't give Andersen a free pass to allow an easy goal!

 

[Al14]

Jake Gardiner was a winger during his early years at high school and college! Why not try a transition back to being an NHL forward?

 

[Tak7]

Jake Gardiner was a winger during his early years at high school and college! Why not try a transition back to being an NHL forward?

Because for a team that has massive defensive deficiencies, moving one of their better D to forward............... doesn't actually fix anything.

 

[Al14]

Because for a team that has massive defensive deficiencies, moving one of their better D to forward............... doesn't actually fix anything.

He's hardly one of our better D, and, it showed again last night!

 

[Killerb]

Did this guy just play his last game in a Leafs jersey?

I just heard that Jake Gardiner invested in two companies. A bed linen company that only sells brown sheets and one that sells stain removing products.
Bu-Bye Joke, I mean Jake

 

[Killerb]

I just heard that Jake Gardiner invested in two companies. A bed linen company that only sells brown sheets and one that sells stain removing products.
Bu-Bye Joke, I mean Jake

Missing link on Leafs D - Josh Manson from the Ducks! Jake out - to who cares, and Josh in.

 

[Captain14]

puck moving top four D's do not grow on trees.

By puck moving, are you referring to the infamous "90' stretch pass" because for all of this talk of him being a great skater, all I ever see him do is slowly rag the puck in the d zone looking for a Hail Mary pass that usually results in a turnover or icing.

 

[Pi]

By puck moving, are you referring to the infamous "90' stretch pass" because for all of this talk of him being a great skater, all I ever see him do is slowly rag the puck in the d zone looking for a Hail Mary pass that usually results in a turnover or icing.

That is coaching, not the player.

I don't see any one of our defenseman skate with the puck. They all try that ridiculous stretch pass by design.

 

[Captain14]

That is coaching, not the player.

I don't see any one of our defenseman skate with the puck. They all try that ridiculous stretch pass by design.

I would agree with that comment

 

[hullsy47]

That is coaching, not the player.

I don't see any one of our defenseman skate with the puck. They all try that ridiculous stretch pass by design.

 

[hullsy47]

Id like to sheldone keefe be part of the coaching group next year
Babcock is safe but he could use fresh help

 

[Clark4Ever]

He had a bad night at the worst possible time, but the hyperbole is over the top. If Freddy makes routine saves in the 3rd period last night, nobody is talking about Gards today.

 

[Lightsol]

Allow me to pull up a post from earlier this year: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/130169477/



And also this from before last year's playoffs: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/130331519/



Hate to say I told you so.

Ooh, is it time to pull out old quotes? My turn:

If we build our defense around Jake ****ing Gardiner, not only will we not win anything, but we will likely waste years trying to overcome his mental mistakes like we did with Bryan McCabe... Anyone remember when McCabe was the Leafs' best defenseman? Except when he made many, many, many boneheaded mistakes that cost us series?

Faster Gardiner's gone, the better the Leafs will be for it...

The problem is, Gardiner is the defensive version of James Van Riemsdyk; everyone wows over his period flashes of "ability", but 80% of the time he waffles between so-so and TERRIBLE. And he costs the Leafs late in games with insane plays way too much for my liking. I still say there'll come a time when Gardiner costs the Leafs a playoff series and Leaf fans turn on him.

Of course, Carl Gunnarsson was one of the principle suspects in costing the Leafs game 7 against Boston, and somehow he managed to DODGE all responsibility for his inability to clear a ****ing defesnive zone, so who knows... Maybe once again, there'll be people trying to explain why it's Hated Player X's fault, not Gardiner's...

 

[The Best Leafs Ever]

**** this guy is still with the team? Such a shame.

 

[Puckclektr]

Just copy and pasted from my Facebook wall.
Never been a fan of Gardiner. I think he is a good PP specialist and a #4-5 defenseman. That being said. I think people blaming him for the loss is crazy. Now I didn't watch the game,and am assuming he had some bad plays outside of the goals against, but people saying he is minus 5 and putting all the blame on him. I have seen people have excellent games and still be -3. Just becasue you are a minus on the play doesn't mean you made the mistake. I want to break down the goals. I'm gonna play Pierre McGuire here. Once again. Another scapegoat. Do we blame the management for spending the money on Marceau when a top pairing D was needed. Or Babcock for not sheltering him. Or gardener for being forced to play top minutes against top teams when he is a 4-5.
1st goal. Hyman had a giveaway and Polak who is worse than Gardiner didn't play the man leaving Debrusk wide open. Gardiner wasn't on the ice for that one.
2nd goal. Gardiner stopped Nash and Krecji took the puck as it was 2 Bruins against Gardiner as Nylander and Van Riemsdyk stood there watching. If they did their job Gardiner would've been able to focus on Nash. Gardiner stayed with Krecji while Bozak and Nylander leave Heinen wide open. For a shot that Anderson should've had. I blame Anderson and the forwards who left Heinen wide open before I blame Jake on that. -1
3rd Goal you could argue that Gardiner could've had Bergeron but Plekanec is covering him as the opposing centre and lets him walk in without defending him. Gardiner was playing Backes right before that and was still covering him. The goal was more of a result of a smart pick on Gardiner by Bergeron on that play. Gardiner could've played Backes more physical but we've known for how many years that that isn't his style of play. He never plays the man eventhough he should've in this situation. IMO that goal is on Plekanec for not taking the man. -2
4th goal.Anderson should've had that. Terrible.
5th goal. Gardiner got beat no doubt about it, but he did play the man. He could've poke the puck away. But that goal should've been stopped by a Minor Bantam "BB" goalie. Gardiner played the body, Anderson was suppose to play the shot. -3
6th goal. Zaitsev was beaten to the puck allowing the Bruins to take possession. Gardiner again should've took the body butand should shoulder some of the blame. But Zaitsev half assed it there. But the big problem is MArleau is picking his nose as Pastrnak walks right in. What is MArleau doing? That's his man wide open. -4
7th goal empty net. -5
Disagree all you want. But years back the goalies were being blamed for being hung out to dry, when guys like Phaneuf and Gardiner were terrible. Yet you trade away Gunnarson who was arguably you best defensive guy for Polak. Now everyone is all over Gardiner, as you should, but putting the blame on him is crazy. You have great offensive players but a lot of these goals are because the defense is not getting any help from the forwards. Blame the management for spending 6 million on a 38 year old winger when your needs are on the back end. You are not going to win many games when you are relying on Zaitsev, Gardiner Polak and Hainsey and not much help from the forwards. 3 of the 6 goals Anderson should've had. Why is Anderson not being blamed for choking in the 3rd period letting in two weak goals? Anderson needs to be blamed before Gardiner. But people need to blame someone. Always happens. That player gets driven out of town and then there is a new player to pick on. Same problems. Rinse wash repeat. Where was Matthews, Nylander etc ths series? Look st the forwards that didn't come back to take their men. Marner on the pastrnak goal. Nylander on the heinen goal. Do they get a pass cuz their really good offensively? The more creative guys you have the more you lose the puck and put pressure on the d.
Why am i as a Devil fan writing about this?. The people that know me well, know that I am a Leaf fan, but hate the organization with a passion. I am just as passionate about the Leafs as Leaf fans. There are more people to blame than just Gardiner. Management, goalies, forwards, defensemen etc.

 

[PromisedLand]

Is Gardiner going to be next season's "Self Rental"?

I say f*** NO. Trade this guy get someone who can play defense and doesn't run around in the d-zone