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Jake Gardiner: Career Season

By James Tanner

Jan 1, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) is congratulated by defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings during the Centennial Classic ice hockey game at BMO Field. The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) is congratulated by defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings during the Centennial Classic ice hockey game at BMO Field. The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jake Gardiner has been a much maligned player for most of his time in Toronto.

Despite the reputation, Jake Gardiner has quietly become the Leafs best defenseman. In fact, he’s always been good – he’s just been an undeserved whipping boy for a restless fan-base.

Acquired from the Ducks along with Joffrey Lupul back in 2012, Gardiner’s high-risk high-reward style has given the impression of a defenseman bad at defense, but it’s never been true.  Now, he’s having his best season to date.

Jake Gardiner’s Rep

In the four or so years I’ve been writing hockey blogs, I’ve taken more heat for my support of Jake Gardiner than anything else.  The problem has always been that the numbers don’t match the reputation.

Gardiner is a high risk player.  The Leafs have been a perennially bad team.  Their games are nationally televised and the high-lights play all day long, magnifying every error.

You can do that math.

But more than that, it’s confirmation bias.  Once you have a rep as a defensive liability, people notice your screw-ups.  Especially in Toronto.

Gardiner has played 6404 minutes on the Toronto blue-line over 383 career games. During that time, he has a possession rating of 50.43%, meaning that even including games when the Leafs were the worst team in the league or he was a rookie, Gardiner has always been a positive force on the ice.  For his whole career, the Leafs – who have been terrible for the duration – have been a .500 team with Gardiner on the ice.  Considering what they actually were, that’s impressive.

In fact, for the duration of his career, Gardiner has been on the ice for exactly 253 goals for and 253 goals against at 5v5.  Again, in the context of how truly awful the Maple Leafs have been during his career, that is insane.

Career Year

Jake Gardiner has routinely been a 30 point defenseman who limits shots against with his skating and passing skills.  This season, after a three-point performance in last night’s game against the Hurricanes, he is on pace for 40.

A 40 defenseman in the NHL is something special.  Those are the totals of a star player.

Add in the star-level 53% Corsi Rating for this season, and you have the makings of a career year.  Already his eight goals are only two off his high of ten in 2013-14.  He currently sits just three points off his career high in points as well.

When Gardiner is on the ice, the Leafs average almost two shots less per/60 than they do when their “top pairing” is on the ice.

He leads the Leafs defense with 17 5v5 points and 28 in total.

He is the Leafs best defenseman. And if anyone tells you that Jake Gardiner is not a legit top pairing NHL defenseman, they are wrong.

all stats corsica.hockey

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