Toronto Maple Leafs sign Jake Gardiner

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed restricted free agent defenseman Jake Gardiner to a five year deal worth over $20 million, per Sportsnet. The 24-year-old will receive a significant raise just a year after some speculated Gardiner would be ushered out of town after being stuck in the minor leagues in the lockout shortened 2012-13 season.

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Gardiner will not only be the second-highest paid blue liner on the Toronto roster now, but he’ll also be the only defenseman signed to the team beyond 2018. Clearly management is staking at least one roster spot for Gardiner after the team had a contentious year or two with Gardiner and his agent that culminated in a Twitter movement on Gardiner’s behalf.

A sterling 2013-14 season put all that to rest however. Gardiner averaged more than 21 minutes per game and racked up ten goals and 31 points in that span, all career highs. Gardiner’s speed and skill are a welcome tonic to a team that needs more of both. Now it appears the Leafs will have just that for the foreseeable future.

The Gardiner signing is another beacon of progress in Toronto. Just one week after the team surprised many by hiring a sub-30-year-old Assistant GM to instill a fresh perspective in the organization, the Leafs have signed a player who was often a source of debate in the mainstream media. The message is clear with the Gardiner signing. Talent is king, and Gardiner will bring plenty of that for five years or more.