What will it take to motivate Jake?

[thewave]

Obviously you haven't read or listened to Jake's comments on playing in Toronto, just a guess.

They always talk positively. I never care for what they say unless they are from around town. Jake was a North Stars kid. Wild man at heart.

 

[Super Mega]

Gardiner is going to be a very good D man in the NHL and people who are writing him off will then say I always believed in him.....

Like Franson last year....I said last year that Franson is a good NHL D man ......and so many stated otherwise....some still think it is because he is going to be a free agent....

Players who can skate the way Gardiner can while carrying the puck should not be forced to look to pass the puck as soon as he gets it in the D zone....piss poor coaching is the issue!

Franson was awful last year, his consistency and level of give a **** are question marks for me. I am not surprised he is excelling on his contract year but I am concerned about a long term commitment to him still.

I do agree though, Gardiner is gifted and his usage is questionable. I dont feel its about Randy scratching him its more his pairings and TOI/QoC. He shouldn't be with Rielly on anything but the PP a steadier TWD like Robidas/Holzer/Polak is a better pairing for both these young D.

I just don't understand why both Jake and Mo are not skating up on the rush anymore, this seems like a coaching adjustment or the proverbial leash being tightened. Maybe its a confidence issue too but I think both of these kids could feed on lower competition simply with speed.

 

[thewave]

Franson was awful last year, his consistency and level of give a **** are question marks for me. I am not surprised he is excelling on his contract year but I am concerned about a long term commitment to him still.

I do agree though, Gardiner is gifted and his usage is questionable. I dont feel its about Randy scratching him its more his pairings and TOI/QoC. He shouldn't be with Rielly on anything but the PP a steadier TWD like Robidas/Holzer/Polak is a better pairing for both these young D.

I just don't understand why both Jake and Mo are not skating up on the rush anymore, this seems like a coaching adjustment or the proverbial leash being tightened. Maybe its a confidence issue too but I think both of these kids could feed on lower competition simply with speed.

Gardiners usage? He is failing at the hockey basics 101. It's not the way he is being used at all, it's how he is thinking and performing.

Gardiner could be described as having a critical meltdown.

 

[Super Mega]

Gardiners usage? He is failing at the hockey basics 101. It's not the way he is being used at all, it's how he is thinking and performing.

Gardiner could be described as having a critical meltdown.

If you put someone in a position to fail they are going to have issues with performance. He looks like someone that is over-thinking, gripping the stick, you have to shelter and bring back his confidence. Do I wish he was a bit more steadfast? of course but at a certain point you have to accept the shortcomings of a player if the gains are greater.

Look... Gardiner has been awful but I have seen him be exceptional, its hard to believe that part of him has disappeared. Its easier to rationalize with an outside factor because it doesn't make sense that this is decline or any kind of true realization of who Gardiner actually is, I dont buy it.

 

[KPower]

He's the worst player on the team this year by far.

He needs to play 10-12 minutes per game right now with most of that time on the PP.

His trade value is too low to move him.

Give him sheltered minutes and pray he gets a brain transplant in the off season in Mexico.

 

[Stephen]

I just don't understand why both Jake and Mo are not skating up on the rush anymore, this seems like a coaching adjustment or the proverbial leash being tightened. Maybe its a confidence issue too but I think both of these kids could feed on lower competition simply with speed.

Really? I find Morgan Rielly seems to skate up so often he's starting to look like a winger on his zone entries. Rielly always seems to be gunning it straight ahead, I'd like to see him develop some off speed plays, control the tempo plays and demonstrate some creativity because he's not very dangerous at all as an offensive defenseman. The other night Lindholm was just killing it QB'ing on the 4 on 4 against us. You never see that kind of control and vision out of Rielly.

 

[Stephen]

If you put someone in a position to fail they are going to have issues with performance. He looks like someone that is over-thinking, gripping the stick, you have to shelter and bring back his confidence. Do I wish he was a bit more steadfast? of course but at a certain point you have to accept the shortcomings of a player if the gains are greater.

Look... Gardiner has been awful but I have seen him be exceptional, its hard to believe that part of him has disappeared. Its easier to rationalize with an outside factor because it doesn't make sense that this is decline or any kind of true realization of who Gardiner actually is, I dont buy it.

What do you mean by put into a position to fail? Cause it looks like they're just putting him out for normal top four defenseman stuff and he's just losing it out there on every shift.

 

[Hockey Talker29]

He's the worst player on the team this year by far.

He needs to play 10-12 minutes per game right now with most of that time on the PP.

His trade value is too low to move him.

Give him sheltered minutes and pray he gets a brain transplant in the off season in Mexico.

As long as David Clarkson plays regular minutes, he will lock that spot down.

Gardiner at his worst is Niedermayer compared to Clarkson.

With that being said, Jake has been the worst overall d-man this year.

It's also very clear this is a slump. He has never played this poorly before. Ever.

It's a guarantee that he will snap out of it.

 

[Pi]

What do you mean by put into a position to fail? Cause it looks like they're just putting him out for normal top four defenseman stuff and he's just losing it out there on every shift.

True. I am not Carlyle's biggest fan but he's given Gardiner every opportunity to succeed on ES, PP and heck even the PK.

Time to pull back his minutes and give Rielly those minutes to see how he handles it. If Gardiner's play doesn't improve soon, it's time to call up Stu Percy.

 

[hdtrax]

Nothing will motivate him. He got his big pay day and now he's going to coast.

 

[mikeo1]

I was never very impressed with Jake, and handing out that 4 million$ contract seemed extremely questionable.

But then again, he was universally lauded on this forum and most seemed to think his contract was a steal. Hard to fault Nonis too much for making the deal. Hopefully we can get rid of his contract.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Nothing will motivate him. He got his big pay day and now he's going to coast.

This is the thing I have really stressed here, we do have players that coast at times. When you have a RFA, you have control over them. Handing out security to complacent types is a kiss of death.

If Leafs do not learn this lesson this summer, we will be in even bigger trouble going fwd.

 

[Purity*]

This is the thing I have really stressed here, we do have players that coast at times. When you have a RFA, you have control over them. Handing out security to complacent types is a kiss of death.

If Leafs do not learn this lesson this summer, we will be in even bigger trouble going fwd.

Agreed 100%, we need to hand the money out to heart and soul players like David Clarkson.

 

[Trapper]

To me the best fit for Jake still looks like Dallas. They lack a Jake to go with Seguin/Benn etc. they have some good prospects (like Ritchie) and I would gladly move Jake and his 4 million for him to be able to pay Kadri next year.

 

[ULF_55]

Maybe pairing him up with Schultz would work?

Gardiner for ?

 

[Erdinger]

Maybe pairing him up with Schultz would work?

Gardiner for ?

He'd be good for a cap floor team. That way the contract isn't a risk and if he ever puts it together he'd be a great pickup. I just don't see him putting it together here.

 

[diceman934]

Really? I find Morgan Rielly seems to skate up so often he's starting to look like a winger on his zone entries. Rielly always seems to be gunning it straight ahead, I'd like to see him develop some off speed plays, control the tempo plays and demonstrate some creativity because he's not very dangerous at all as an offensive defenseman. The other night Lindholm was just killing it QB'ing on the 4 on 4 against us. You never see that kind of control and vision out of Rielly.

Morgan and Jake are allowed to join the rush but not lead it as they are to pass the puck while in the D zone .....they are being held back and thus nurtured. Just how can he control the tempo of plays when he is to pass the puck.

Carlyle needs to go and the sooner the better.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

What team is looking for a soft 2-3D @ 4 million ?

 

[Hockey Talker29]

What team is looking for a soft 2-3D @ 4 million ?

At least 20 teams would take him from us today.

 

[Incetardis]

What team is looking for a soft 2-3D @ 4 million ?

They're not moving him nor should they. Signing him to a contract like that shows that management believes strongly that he can be a solid NHL player and aren't going to admit defeat a third of the way into the first year of his long term deal. It sucks cause the whole team is rolling right now with him being one of the only negatives but he's still young and has insane natural ability so just like Kadri you take the good with the bad and hope that over time he can become a complete player

 

[Super Mega]

What do you mean by put into a position to fail? Cause it looks like they're just putting him out for normal top four defenseman stuff and he's just losing it out there on every shift.

yea but he isn't a normal top 4 defenseman right now. He needs to be built back up to that point. I realize that's not a good thing, just that selling low on Gardiner right now seems like a bad idea.

 

[Super Mega]

Really? I find Morgan Rielly seems to skate up so often he's starting to look like a winger on his zone entries. Rielly always seems to be gunning it straight ahead, I'd like to see him develop some off speed plays, control the tempo plays and demonstrate some creativity because he's not very dangerous at all as an offensive defenseman. The other night Lindholm was just killing it QB'ing on the 4 on 4 against us. You never see that kind of control and vision out of Rielly.

Thats the point. Morgan cant seem to QB where as he was doing it in parts last season. That has kind of left his game currently, one of the few times you see it, is when he is solo and makes a rush out of a dump in. Its all safe type of play from him when both of them need the go ahead to open up and get defensive support like Lindholm is afforded.

 

[Hockey Talker29]

They're not moving him nor should they. Signing him to a contract like that shows that management believes strongly that he can be a solid NHL player and aren't going to admit defeat a third of the way into the first year of his long term deal. It sucks cause the whole team is rolling right now with him being one of the only negatives but he's still young and has insane natural ability so just like Kadri you take the good with the bad and hope that over time he can become a complete player

It's actually great that he is slumping now. It hasn't really hurt the performance of the team as a whole. With any luck, he'll turn it around before the performance of his teammates dips too much.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Haha
Gardiner got benched
Healthy scratch - well deserved.

 

[Stephen]

Haha
Gardiner got benched
Healthy scratch - well deserved.

I'd sit him for a week and make sure he works his way back onto the roster.