NHL Trade Rumors: Maple Leafs have 3 options with Jake Gardiner

The NHL trade deadline is just one week away. What will the Toronto Maple Leafs do with Jake Gardiner?

The NHL trade deadline is just one week away, and the rumor mill continues to operate in full swing.

Caught in the midst of a ruminative whirlwind, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain at the focal point of discussion across the league, as the team looks to fill the missing pieces — namely on its back end — that are fundamental to building a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Sometimes mentioned, frequently overlooked, but nonetheless part of such speculative talks is the future of Jake Gardiner. The high-risk, high-reward defender has become one of the go-to examples of a love/hate player and shall likely remain one of the most polarizing skaters to don the blue and white until his spell with the organization draws to a conclusion.

To date, nothing has been said for certain about the broader picture surrounding Gardiner’s remaining time in Toronto. The expectation among many is that the 28-year-old will serve as an ‘own rental’ of sorts, and that a major decision shall be saved for the summer. Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Gardiner’s position is comparable to the situation that James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov occupied at this time last year: Focus on the playoffs for now and be prepared to walk afterward if a long-term deal cannot be reached.

Let’s take a look at the three options that general manager Kyle Dubas is set to explore as the trade deadline nears and the shadow of unrestricted free agency looms larger.

3. Trade Gardiner before the deadline

At a time, a prospect of this nature would have seemed like an option for the Leafs’ administrative body to consider with the utmost degree of seriousness, and a relatively viable one at that. Now, it seems increasingly unlikely that a move like this would be set into motion.

The problem with dealing Gardiner is not rooted in the question of what a return for the player would yield. We know for certain that there is a market for offense-minded defensemen, and that No. 51 is at the top of such a pool. Just ask the Montréal Canadiens who are rumored to be searching for a top-pairing left defender who can aid in tallying points; the upside of Gardiner’s game is, indeed, useful.

Rather, the issue with including Gardiner as a feature of trades is the matter of what shipping the veteran blue-liner would do to the Leafs’ defensive core. While Gardiner is not relied upon for penalty killing, he continues to serve as the quarterback of the Buds’ second power play unit, and is frequently trusted by head coach Mike Babcock to clock in tough minutes when his counterparts, Morgan Rielly and the newly-acquired Jake Muzzin, are in need of rest. Add the fact that he is the Buds’ second-most offensively-productive defender to the mix and the organization’s reluctance to deal him becomes ever more apparent.

Although a move involving Gardiner could provide the Leafs with other necessary avenues of improvement, chief among them being defensive stability on the right side and a reasonable measure of grit, it’s a struggle to think of a trade that would prompt engagement from Toronto’s management. Gardiner’s mistakes can be nothing short of costly, yes, but his offensive prowess, coupled with the sense of familiarity that he provides to the club’s coaching staff makes it unlikely that the Buds would be willing to part with him.

A trade involving Gardiner would be a dream come true for certain portions of the Leafs’ fanbase. But unless an offer is made that allows Toronto to emerge categorically victorious, it’s not only possible, but plausible that No. 51 will remain in the 6ix.