Should Gardiner be traded prior to the deadline?

[JT AM da real deal]

If you can get a RHD who has speed, size and toughness to help Rielly then I would be all for it. We can't have Rielly being run like Boston did to him last playoffs. I like Paraynko but can't see him fitting into our CAP. We need a guy around 3M per year so our CAP works. That trade is going to be hard to navigate. Also we can't be giving up Kappy or Dermott.

 

[member 157595]

If you can get a RHD who has speed, size and toughness to help Rielly then I would be all for it. We can't have Rielly being run like Boston did to him last playoffs. I like Paraynko but can't see him fitting into our CAP. We need a guy around 3M per year so our CAP works. That trade is going to be hard to navigate. Also we can't be giving up Kappy or Dermott.

Any defenseman worth a shit is going to cost his fair share if signed to a long-term contract though.

 

[Buds17]

Time will tell if he can be re-signed, but I think they retain him for the playoff run at least. Pertaining to a trade, unless he's traded and quickly re-signs with that team, he brings back a futures package typical of a rental. Trading him would also be bolstering a competing team, even if they aren't a direct rival (a team in the Atlantic, or even the Eastern Conference).

Trading him, and then directly or indirectly (one or two trades/three team trade) looking to add another player to help now and in the future, is a great idea if it can be pulled off. Unfortunately, that might be easier said than done.

 

[Nineteen67]

Gardiner’s on ice production remainder of this season+ his potential cap space if he leaves has great value to the Leafs.

Whatever they got in return would have to give them a legit shot at finishing in the top 3 in the Atlantic, winning a playoff round this year and have an impact next year.

 

[Menzinger]

It made way more sense to trae JVR last season than Gardiner this year - when they are legit contenders in the East.

Only way it works is in a hickeybtrade for another D.

I do suspect that he walks on July 1st though

 

[TheProspector]

Eg.
To toronto: Brett Pesce
To Carolina: assets, offense (from Tor and team x)
To team X: Jake gardiner

I think that any three-way deal is "really hard" to pull off.

 

[LeafShark]

Gardiner is the #2 defenseman on the FA market. If the Leafs can't sign him, the quality of the team goes down pretty considerably, making a bad situation worse.

 

[ponder]

I do think we should trade him if we can get solid assets back. It simply won’t make sense to re-sign him, as we’re already overloaded with LHDs - Rielly/Gards/Dermott in the NHL, Rosen and Borgman both NHL ready, and Sandin looking very good with the Marlies too.

Carolina are overloaded with RHDs, need LHDs, and could re-sign Gards. Wonder if we could deal Gards+ for one of Pesce or Faulk, if we left the Canes talk to Gards first and get a rough extension plan in place?

If we can get a good RHD back, we may even improve THIS year with the trade. I think Dermott would do well in the 3D role, and Borgman could add some nice physicality on the bottom pair. If we could do something like Gards, 1st, Bracco for Faulk:

Rielly - Hainsey
Dermott - Faulk
Borgman - Zaitsev

 

[DanM]

I would package Gards with something, and move him for a RHD or picks. I know it's not the popular choice for a contender, and not from a position of great strength, but I honestly think our contender days are ahead of us as our prospects grow (Lily, Sandman, Grundy, March, Druzi, SDA, Bracco, etc.)

I just don't think we should be letting assets walk. Look at Buffalo, the have the blues top pick in the ROR trade, plus assets etc. I know it was in the summer, but my point is we need to keep a pipeline going, and assets walking out the door is not that.

Assets walking for free is hard cap world suicide. I would question the brass if this becomes regular practice. It's a business decision, not an emotional decision.

 

[razkaz]

I do think we should trade him if we can get solid asses back. It simply won’t make sense to re-sign him, as we’re already overloaded with LHDs - Rielly/Gards/Dermott in the NHL, Rosen and Borgman both NHL ready, and Sandin looking very good with the Marlies too.

Carolina are overloaded with RHDs, need LHDs, and could re-sign Gards. Wonder if we could deal Gards+ for one of Pesce or Faulk, if we left the Canes talk to Gards first and get a rough extension plan in place?

I agree, lets amASS all the Asses lol.

 

[LeafShark]

Really would like to see Dubas sign Gards to an 8yr extension and try to save on the cap by offering term. Move Zaitsev out with retention or picks to sweeten the pot to create the cap space.

Do not offer term to Gardiner. He's at his peak now and will only get worse. There are worse things that can happen in the cap era than letting an older player walk for free. It's a young player's league now.

 

[ponder]

I agree, lets amASS all the Asses lol.

Hah, interesting iPhone autocorrect there

 

[CarterD]

The only way Gards should be traded is in a multi player deal (Gards +). They're not going trade out a Dman before the playoffs without getting an upgrade in return which isn't exactly feasible on a 1 for 1 type deal.

Keep him, try to sign him to a reasonable contract (edit: reasonable in both term and AAV) or let him walk. It's time the Leafs do what's best in the moment and not the future. (Appropriate time I should add)

 

[Notsince67]

Team will become considerably worse without him. There will be pressure to change the core once he is gone.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

There is not much choice in the matter. Unless something is done with Marleau contract next season there is no chance we can re-sign him. or we trade Z's contract.

 

[Notsince67]

I do think we should trade him if we can get solid assets back. It simply won’t make sense to re-sign him, as we’re already overloaded with LHDs - Rielly/Gards/Dermott in the NHL, Rosen and Borgman both NHL ready, and Sandin looking very good with the Marlies too.

Carolina are overloaded with RHDs, need LHDs, and could re-sign Gards. Wonder if we could deal Gards+ for one of Pesce or Faulk, if we left the Canes talk to Gards first and get a rough extension plan in place?

If we can get a good RHD back, we may even improve THIS year with the trade. I think Dermott would do well in the 3D role, and Borgman could add some nice physicality on the bottom pair. If we could do something like Gards, 1st, Bracco for Faulk:

Rielly - Hainsey
Dermott - Faulk
Borgman - Zaitsev

faulk is garbage and dermott needs a better partner if he takes 2nd pairing. He will get buried there

 

[Joey Hoser]

The original thread states to trade him to acquire assets to obtain a quality right handed D. Not a net subtraction

The Leafs have plenty of the assets required to make such a trade without trading Gardiner.

 

[Notsince67]

I would package Gards with something, and move him for a RHD or picks. I know it's not the popular choice for a contender, and not from a position of great strength, but I honestly think our contender days are ahead of us as our prospects grow (Lily, Sandman, Grundy, March, Druzi, SDA, Bracco, etc.)

I just don't think we should be letting assets walk. Look at Buffalo, the have the blues top pick in the ROR trade, plus assets etc. I know it was in the summer, but my point is we need to keep a pipeline going, and assets walking out the door is not that.

Assets walking for free is hard cap world suicide. I would question the brass if this becomes regular practice. It's a business decision, not an emotional decision.

So you need a capable replacement on the second pairing.
Dermott faces sheltered minutes. His Quality of competition is only in the 7th percentile. He starts in the dzone 42% of the time. He ain't ready to be the anchor of that second pairing

 

[Joey Hoser]

I would package Gards with something, and move him for a RHD or picks. I know it's not the popular choice for a contender, and not from a position of great strength, but I honestly think our contender days are ahead of us as our prospects grow (Lily, Sandman, Grundy, March, Druzi, SDA, Bracco, etc.)

You can't assume we will ever have a better chance than we do this year. We're loaded with superstars on ELC's, veteran greats like Marleau and Tavares, a #1 defenseman, a great goalie... AND we have cap space to add.

The window doesn't close any time soon, but this is certainly the best shot we can ever expect to have. We're going to be running much leaner in the future.

 

[ToDavid]

Not unless the return is a RD on par with Gardiner, which is unlikely. Guy is on his way to his second straight 50 point season.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Only if we can get a RHD with some term and get rid of Zaitsev. Even then i'd be reluctant to introduce someone new into the system that late in the year. Jake has been very good so far this season.

 

[Mr Hockey]

you get a younger dman with a good contract, obviously not as good as Jake and a draft pick or prospect or you put a package together.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

The poll vote numbers are pretty even. Everyone wants to go for the Cup this year but reality is this year is about making a little run in playoffs with a round 1 win and then a balls to the wall round 2 series where we will go head to head with Tampa. Great if we win and get a conference final appearance against a Washington. The likelihood of winning a conference final is pretty low. So that's why getting a reduced RHD defensive asset on lower CAP hit appeals to me. Plus we do not have to rely on 2 rooks next season. Gards + Johnsson to Canes for Pesce.

Rielly Pesce
Dermott Z
Hainsey OZ

 

[Babcocks Marner]

The poll vote numbers are pretty even. Everyone wants to go for the Cup this year but reality is this year is about making a little run in playoffs with a round 1 win and then a balls to the wall round 2 series where we will go head to head with Tampa. Great if we win and get a conference final appearance against a Washington. The likelihood of winning a conference final is pretty low. So that's why getting a reduced RHD defensive asset on lower CAP hit appeals to me. Plus we do not have to rely on 2 rooks next season. Gards + Johnsson to Canes for Pesce.

Rielly Pesce
Dermott Z
Hainsey OZ

I think Pesce would be great on the Leafs. He is exactly what we need. We don't need to worry about how many points he gets, since Rielly is his partner. He just gotta focus on the Defensive aspects.
I started taking a hard look at him when they were talking Nylander...... I really like him.... Just NOT for Nylander. If we could find other pieces, I would be all for it.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Absolutely, if you can use his assets to get a RD. He is not as important to this defense as he is made out to be, and he's not going to be back next year anyways. Just because we are a good team does not mean we should not trade away good players. If we become a better team in the end, you absolutely move Gardiner. There are a few ways the Leafs can do that.