The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be ready to close the books on the Jake Gardiner era just yet, according to reports.
With the NHL offseason officially in full swing, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to prepare for what will no doubt be a busy free agency period. Not only do they have a clear target in terms of who to retain, but also for what type of player(s) to acquire and which roster players to move out.
One player whose future with the team remains uncertain is defenseman Jake Gardiner, with many fans expecting to see the long-time Leaf depart for greener pastures on July 1st. While it appears to be heading in that direction, the Leafs aren’t ready to let him walk just yet.
Pierre LeBrun was on TSN 1050 on Wednesday and reported that the organization was willing to keep Gardiner into the fold but will need to re-sign Mitch Marner first in order for it to occur.
Pierre LeBrun on TSN 1050:
— Michael (@mic_mazz) June 12, 2019
The Leafs are keeping the door open on re-signing Jake Gardiner, but they can't really go that route until they figure out Mitch Marner's deal.
Gardiner was able to avoid surgery since the Leafs were eliminated and is feeling better.
He goes on to mention that since the Leafs were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the first round, Gardiner was able to avoid surgery on his back as the MRI came back clean. LeBrun also points out that Gardiner is feeling healthier and, should the Leafs be unable to retain him, will draw much interest among teams hoping he makes it to June 23 negotiations.
Return more probable
Given the recent reports of Nikita Zaitsev’s desires to be traded along with Patrick Marleau’s departure also seemingly imminent, the Leafs will likely gain just over $11 million in cap space for 2019-20. Meaning the possibility of Gardiner re-signing to a deal both sides can live with is more probable than it was a month ago.
And should that be the case, it would be a big boost for the Leafs defence. During Gardiner’s absence from the team whilst recovering from his injury, the Leafs struggled at times and he was missed dearly. He posted strong offensive numbers and despite his blunder in Game 7, was a critical component of the team’s backend.
Which is why a potential Gardiner departure would leave a massive hole on the Leafs blueline for the coming season that is already going to be crippled with Travis Dermott on the sidelines. But again, this all hinges on Marner’s contract negotiations.
Marner has and will remain, the most important aspect of the Leafs offseason check-list considering his importance to their offensive unit. He is coming off his best offensive performance to date and is sure to get a big payday in the coming weeks. Regardless of what your perception of what Marner’s next deal should look like, the fact remains that what he signs to will result in a trickle effect in the team’s offseason plans. And that extends to Gardiner who should command a hefty price tag if her were to hit the open market.
Additionally, the team also has to negotiate contract extensions with Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson and have to decide which of their other pending UFAs (ex: Ron Hainsey) will be sticking around. This, in combination with the Zaitsev and Marleau trade rumours, means we won’t get a clear answer on Gardiner’s future until around the NHL Draft.
At the very least, it is refreshing to see that the team is reportedly willing to try and keep Gardiner around and negotiate an extension. Whether or not you want that to become a reality is up to you, it seems that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not going to let the 28-year-old defender walk out the door so easily.
On the subject of his back, it’s very encouraging to hear that he is progressing well in his recovery and will be back to full form come October. When he was initially ruled out week-to-week with a back injury, it was very concerning considering the possibility of a surgery that would likely end his season. While it was apparent that his back was still bothering him, the fact he was even out there, to begin with, was an inspiring sight to see nonetheless.
What is surprising is that surgery wasn’t required on it, but it is still great news for him. The NHL is better with him being healthy and active, so having a rejuvenated Gardiner will be a welcome sight for the Toronto Maple Leafs or whoever he signs with in free agency.
In short, Gardiner’s time in Toronto isn’t over just yet and should he return next season, he will be fully healthy. No doubt is it encouraging for all parties involved while also leaving the answer on where he will play in 2019-20 nowhere close to being solved.