What is Jake Gardiner??

[Beleafer4]

More like depends what time of the year it is
Preseason: #2/3
Game 0-20: #5
Game 20-40: #4
Game 40-60: #3
Game 60-82: #2

Playoffs: #1/2

Overall I voted him at #2 because he's a beast when it counts. If you actually averaged his performance throughout the year, you would probably have him as a #3.

 

[TakeTheBody]

What is Jake? The key to our team. When's he's good the Leafs are a different team. When he's Jake. We will be out in the first round of the playoffs. Lets hope the good Jake shows up.

 

[Jozay]

Looks another defenseman who does way worse without Gardiner. Gardiner deserves a big contract just for convincing Ottawa Dion was decent.

is that 5v5 minutes?

 

[firstemperor]

Good #3 on a good team....too inconsistent to be a #1/#2, though in spurts, he certainly looks the part at times. Think he's done the same act every year and I think at this point, he's normalizing to the player he is and always will be......which is a good #3 on a good team with the inconsistencies to match.

Though, I think he's regressing a bit this year. He's fallen in love with that low % stretch pass too much. The best Gardiner is when he mixes it up and relies predominantly on skating and evading pressure. I'm not sure why he's made such a dramatic change in his game and whether that is system-related with that short-pass up the middle where players pick up speed in the neutral zone, or the long-pass tip-in dump in play....but with the way the game is today, I'd like for him to be a bit more unpredictable and dynamic with his play. Admittedly, I'm projecting and picking at straws a bit because I've seen him at his best.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

I compare Jake to the Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series. The show where Kirk was divided into two people when he was separated in the transporter.
That's Gardiner.....He either "The" Good" Kirk (Jake) or the "Bad" Kirk (Jake). Gardiner knows no middle game. Either good or bad.
Don't think the Leafs will resign Gardiner. They do have LHDs and money can spend elsewhere.

 

[araisarena]

Between 35-50 in best D-men. Very good #2

 

[nuck]

Back to back 40 something point seasons. He is a 2-3 guy to me. Worth either committing to long term (money permitting) or moving out, but only if they have a significant upgrade. If he has a decent playoff his trade value would be extremely high, but then I think they would re-up him because who has a D of his age or younger that they could fashion a deal around that would be a real improvement? How often do quality 27 year old D men ever get dealt? If they could sign Carlson for a number that wouldn't choke them, that would be ideal, because to me they are similar but Carlson is a better defensive presence (yeah he has flaws but he is not nearly as soft as JG).

 

[pengdeng12]

giveways? Players who control have high # of giveaways. Looks like some of you have never played hockey in your life

 

[6ix]

he’s a #2 offensively but a #5 defensively. All in all I’d say a #3.

 

[diceman934]

Out best D pairing would be Morgan and Jake.

I would not be total shock to see this in the playoffs but surprised.

Jake is a very good D man and the only way we do not resign him if he is the cost of getting an equally talent Right shot D man.

 

[DatSnipeMatthews]

i would








if we're talking about his rights next season and he wants too much money for management

otherwise nah

Gardiner is better than Shattenkirk so he would get a comparable or better return.

 

[LeafFever]

Jake plays his best hockey in the playoffs. he's been terrific,

 

[DarkKnight]

You guys are nuts. He is a bottom pair PP specialist D-man on a SUCCESSFUL team. Way too inconsistent be relied upon in your top 4 for more than spot duty. Unfortunately, we don't have the right manpower to slot him properly currently.

He's a flawed top four, no question. He was really good for a nice stretch, hopefully he gets hot in the playoffs, you just never know with Jake, hence the flawed comment.

 

[DarkKnight]

Wow this thread really demonstrate how much differently posters think of Gardiner. We can generally come to a consensus on our players but Jake is the exception.

That's because there are two of him. And the clear answer to the OP question, what is Jake Gardiner? An enigma, wrapped in a parodox...of course.

 

[NarcoPolo]

I don't know how people can see him as a 2D. He makes a lot of mistakes with the puck. He's a broderline 4D

Lol, borderline 4... Some people have selective memory. The best players in the league make a lot of mistakes with the puck.

 

[ponder]

He’s all over the place - goes through stretches where he plays like a top pairing guy, and other stretches where he’s crazy bad and I’d prefer him benched.

Elite skater, very good hands, great shot, pretty tall/athletic, and in some ways has good hockey IQ. But he’s also soft, bails on plays to avoid hits, way too nonchalant with the puck at times, and commits tonnes of really egregious mistakes for no reason. Seems to get into extended mental funks.

He can play like a top pairing guy in stretches, but is far too unreliable to be a guy you depend on in your top pairing long term. I voted 4D, but it’s really anywhere from 2-6, depending on the night. Fingers crossed we get “good Jake” in the playoffs, because when he’s on his game, he’s a real difference maker.

 

[ToMaLe]

More like depends what time of the year it is
Preseason: #2/3
Game 0-20: #5
Game 20-40: #4
Game 40-60: #3
Game 60-82: #2

Playoffs: #1/2

Overall I voted him at #2 because he's a beast when it counts. If you actually averaged his performance throughout the year, you would probably have him as a #3.

I was going to say depends on what night lol. One night he looks like an all star and the next game brain cramps galore....overall im ok with Gards.

 

[Moonman]

he's like 12th in dman scoring.

 

[Nithoniniel]

The thing is, even in the stretches where people think he is absolutely horrible, the stats disagree. Early this season was the worst hockey of his career, and he still performed as a lower-end second pairing d-man.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

He's not a #1 or #2 because of what's between his ears.

 

[Christ]

What no option for inconsistent? He can be anything from our best defenseman to our worst defenseman on any given night. Usually I'd say that he falls under a solid second pairing guy.

 

[DarkKnight]

He’s all over the place - goes through stretches where he plays like a top pairing guy, and other stretches where he’s crazy bad and I’d prefer him benched.

Elite skater, very good hands, great shot, pretty tall/athletic, and in some ways has good hockey IQ. But he’s also soft, bails on plays to avoid hits, way too nonchalant with the puck at times, and commits tonnes of really egregious mistakes for no reason. Seems to get into extended mental funks.

He can play like a top pairing guy in stretches, but is far too unreliable to be a guy you depend on in your top pairing long term. I voted 4D, but it’s really anywhere from 2-6, depending on the night. Fingers crossed we get “good Jake” in the playoffs, because when he’s on his game, he’s a real difference maker.

That’s a good synopsis.

 

[Slyfox]

He plays like a number 1 when it counts. Playoffs both series he was our number 1 and best defenceman on either team. When Rielly goes down and has struggled he's played like a number 1. Surprised people are worried about what he's going to do in the playoffs.

 

[ULF_55]

I think he's (they are) twins and they take turns coming in and out of the line-up, even during games.

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

gards is good, i wish we resign him and toss zaitsev on someone if he cant rebound.