Should the Toronto Maple Leafs be shopping Jake Gardiner?

It doesn’t take much to  kick start a rumor when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Case in point: the most recent Jake Gariner rumor, which was started by Elliotte Friedman of the CBC. He recently posed a string of 30 thoughts. 14th on the list was as follows:

"There is definitely some level of conversation going on between other teams and Toronto involving Jake Gardiner. I despise the word “shopped,” as it’s more like a feeling-out process. If the Maple Leafs do decide to do it, it’s going to be for a young asset or assets. So, you have to look at teams with talented young players. This is PURELY my speculation, but if teams like Dallas, Florida or Minnesota would be interested, you could see a match."

That’s all it took, and now a quick Google search of “Jake Gardiner” turns up a whole mess of speculation. They’ve already been brought to his attention as well. He spoke to James Mirtle of the Toronto Globe and Mail yesterday about the rumblings:

"That’s part of the Leafs. Media’s going to speculate about things. It’s part of the business. If something happens then that’s the way it is. You just can’t worry about it. You always hear a little, but I try and stay out of that. I remember [Luke] Schenn a couple years ago, it seemed like he was talked about every single day. Then nothing happened for the longest time. It did end up happening, but that happens with every guy in here and you’ve just got to block it out."

All in all, the rumor seems to be on the far-fetched side. While the sources are credible, it just doesn’t seem to make sense for the Leafs. They are already the youngest team in the NHL, yet if they moved Gardiner it would be for young assets? As if a fleet-footed, 23 year-old puck-moving defender isn’t a strong enough asset as is?

What would they move him for? Another starting goaltender under the age of 25? A different type of young defender more along the stay-at-home lines? While Gardiner has indeed struggled to make an impact for Toronto so far this season, that’s to be expected from a kid that’s bounced between the NHL and AHL since 2011.

Defensemen don’t work like forwards. It’s very rare to see a kid step onto the blue line and take over. The responsibilities are different, and there is way more of an emphasis on hockey sense. While a winger at 24 could have a half-decade of strong seasons under his belt, a defender at that same age is just coming into his own.

The Leafs needn’t look any further than Ottawa for proof. Erik Karlsson had a couple of really, really bad seasons before truly getting comfortable and taking off. Not that Gardiner will end up like Karlsson, but the two do have similar skill sets in that they rely heavily on their skating.

At this juncture the Leafs just don’t have enough to gain by moving Gardiner. They already have plenty of youth, and unless someone just blows them away, don’t expect to see him moved this season.