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

1. Keep him as an ‘own rental’

Rather than looking toward other teams to fill the Buds’ assets, it seems increasingly likely that the Leafs will opt to bet on its depth as the postseason nears.

With Vezina-caliber goaltending and offensive pieces abounding, the club’s blue line continues to serve as the team’s most frequent position of uncertainty. Morgan Rielly aims to the realm of Norris Trophy consideration, Travis Dermott continues to excite fans for the future and Jake Muzzin promises a sufficient degree of defensive responsibility, but the likes of Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev are worrying on what seems to be a nightly basis.

Which brings us back to Gardiner.

No. 51 is the perfect example of an ‘own rental’ at the current moment. Trading him away could most certainly yield a nice return, but winning a deal of this nature would require some top-notch maneuvering. With the clock winding down as deadline day nears, a world-class trade seems a thing of dreams.

By extension, offering Gardiner a contract now appears to be the equivalent of running before walking. The thought of the 28-year-old welcoming a discount is tempting, but such a move would almost definitely require some money to be taken out. The aforementioned Zaitsev’s salary is, without question, Toronto’s most problematic cap-related matter. As a consequence, the team’s administrative body may have to work some magic if it is to ship out that kind of money so as to make room for Gardiner.

Look for Gardiner to remain a member of the blue and white until the end of the Leafs’ spell in the Stanley Cup playoffs. A major decision is coming, indeed, but it seems plausible that we’ll have to wait longer until the moment of telling arrives.