Confirmed with Link: Canes Sign Defenseman Jake Gardiner to 4 Year Contract

[MinJaBen]

On a side note regarding the D, I really hope they can extend Edmundson. He really rounds out their group, but they have so many guys in Clt probably capable of 3rd pair minute now, it’ll make for quite the storyline to follow this season.

I agree with most of what you said, but I hope this doesn’t happen. I’d MUCH rather take that salary and extend Dougie and Svech in the offseason, and give Fleury the 3rd pair no scoring role than pay Edmundson that kind of money. I love his game, but he’s overpaid as it is for his role. No way we can pay him anything more.

 

[robbieberns]

At 4 million a year it’s hard to even ask too much more than just being really solid in your own end, which he has been. I think he’ll only go on to grow more offensively comfortable as the year goes on, especially as he continues to gel with Pesce.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him kick it up a notch around the turn of the year of around the all star break. I also think for how much he makes and the role we’re asking him to fill, he’s doing just fine or at least as good as you can ask for a guy coming off such a tricky injury.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

The thing with Gardiner is that the team has been really careful with his minutes early on in the season. With the ridiculous amount of depth on the team, they have the luxury to do that and still win games with Edmundson getting top-4-ish minutes.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I think he's been good and solid. As he gets acclimated, I think the offense will come. I've seen some of the instincts and skill, I think it's just a matter of time. I'd be more worried if he looked bad, but like most of our other slumpers, he's looked fine.

 

[CandyCanes]

We saw it took about half a season last year to see DOOOOGGIIIEEEE (Svech voice) get acclimated to this system and he’s now absolutely thriving. I’m expecting something similar with Gardiner.

 

[tarheelhockey]

IMO he's come as advertised, in a good way. His purpose is to tread water in his own zone and then move the puck smoothly up the ice and in the other team's zone, which he has done so far. He's never going to be a beast in his own zone, nor should we expect that from someone with his skill level making less than $8M.

 

[Unsustainable]

He stretches the ice well, when that starts clicking more, we will see a lot more production from him in terms of assists and secondary assists

 

[spockBokk]

The last few games, Gardiner has been ass. I wonder if it’s due to either of the below reasons or maybe even a combination of them:

1-Is his back or whatever was ailing him in camp still an issue?

2-Does RBA just not yet know how to utilize him best, ala Hamilton last season?

I tend to think it’s a combination of the two, with Gardiner’s health probably playing a bigger role in his recent suckitude than RBA’s usage of him. I do think for the team to ever get the most out of Gardiner, he needs to play next to Pesce in a top 4 role, but on the flip slide, Gardiner has to earn that and so far he hasn’t, at all.

If it’s really due to his back, I’d hope the team pushes him to do whatever is necessary to get him back to full effectiveness. They certainly have the depth to replace him on the 3rd pair and ain’t nobody taking that contract right now with what Gardiner has shown so far.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

If it is his back, shut him down for a while. I mean Fleury is pretty good.

 

[Vagrant]

this one worries me at this point. it's early obviously, but these are the same kind of comments we were making 20 odd games into tomas kaberle's stint here. he looks slow and he looks hurt, but the possibility that might be his baseline now is frightening. he's a -6 in his last 4 games and has played less than 14 minutes in each of them. he's being started in the offensive zone at the highest frequency of his career as well. this isn't emergency level being concerned yet, but we're looking at the early indications of the reason he wasn't able to get term elsewhere. he's been bad. i don't think we should have trouble admitting that.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Yep, I’m worried as well. It’s the skating, it’s just so slow. I’m not seeing the high danger plays in his own defensive zone as his reputation suggests, no “doh!” plays except the one that ended up getting called back on the offside that clearly offered an explanation for why he steered towards the boards. The issue is just foot speed, he doesn’t look like he has the ability to skate.

Frankly, Haula was the same story (“they said this guy was a rocket, and he seems like an average skater to me”), and we now know why. Hoping this isn’t the new “baseline” as Vagrant mentioned. If so, we’ve got a pretty expensive 3rd pairing PP specialist for the next 4 years.

 

[Roboturner913]

I don't know if he's slow overall, but he seems stiff and upright and doesn't ever really get down and "dig." Maybe that's his back, IDK.

I find myself puzzled by some of the choices he makes in his own end but I don't feel like he's been *bad* defensively. But he hasn't been any better than Fleury either defensively or offensively. That's more a good reflection on Fleury than a bad one on Gardiner, but still....I wouldn't hate seeing Gardiner rest for a week or so and see how he responds. We have the ability to do that and not get killed.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Living in Toronto I saw a lot of Gardiner. When he’s healthy and on, he can fly down the ice. Smooth effortless skater. That’s not where he’s at right now. If his back is hurting then they need to sit him to get it right. We have the depth to accommodate. Stretch passes, d zone breakouts and the occasional offensive pinch where he takes it to the house. When he’s on he’s doing all those things at an elite level. With Gardiner it’s all about confidence. When he’s doing things like spin moves and no look drop passes in offensive zone is when he’s at his best.

 

[DaveG]

this one worries me at this point. it's early obviously, but these are the same kind of comments we were making 20 odd games into tomas kaberle's stint here. he looks slow and he looks hurt, but the possibility that might be his baseline now is frightening. he's a -6 in his last 4 games and has played less than 14 minutes in each of them. he's being started in the offensive zone at the highest frequency of his career as well. this isn't emergency level being concerned yet, but we're looking at the early indications of the reason he wasn't able to get term elsewhere. he's been bad. i don't think we should have trouble admitting that.

I think we're forgetting just how absolutely godawful Kaberle was here. Not that Jake has been a world beater by any means but Kaberle was an absolute gaffe machine. Part of that is that he was put with a rookie Justin Faulk (f***ing REALLY Paul?!) and Faulk was having to cover for his ass frequently. But while Gardiner's been struggling I just haven't seen the same level of terrible turnover leading to uncontested breakaway that we were getting from Kaberle. Gardiner is playing like he doesn't have any confidence in his own body right now. With Fleury healthy it might be a good time to sit him for a few games to allow him to take care of his back.

 

[NotOpie]

I, too, think Gardiner is playing hurt. And I don't think it's his back, but maybe a hip thing (groin?). I noted a couple of times in the FL game he seemed to have trouble making quick turns. That would also translate in not being able to dig in to get his "jump". I'm also wondering if shutting him down for a week or so might not be a bad idea.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

I think we're forgetting just how absolutely godawful Kaberle was here. Not that Jake has been a world beater by any means but Kaberle was an absolute gaffe machine. Part of that is that he was put with a rookie Justin Faulk (****ing REALLY Paul?!) and Faulk was having to cover for his ass frequently. But while Gardiner's been struggling I just haven't seen the same level of terrible turnover leading to uncontested breakaway that we were getting from Kaberle.

This is accurate.

 

[Ole Gil]

I think adjustment time is underrated. Hamilton had 10 points through December last year. Then 29 to finish up the season. And now PPG+ to start this one. And the similarities in struggles are pretty similar.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Gardiner had a good game tonight, as did our entire defense. It’s important to point out, however, how much of a master-class this signing was in terms of roster management. It essentially set off a chain of events that led to our long-time warrior Justin Faulk getting a giant payday with the Cup Champs and gave our team yet another first-round prospect. Eddy way over-performing expectations and essentially becoming this year’s CDH was just an added bonus.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Healthy scratch time

 

[Wolfpuck]

I wouldn’t take him on a 1 year deal at league minimum right now.

 

[Canes]

 

[Canes]

Gardiner had a good game tonight, as did our entire defense. It’s important to point out, however, how much of a master-class this signing was in terms of roster management. It essentially set off a chain of events that led to our long-time warrior Justin Faulk getting a giant payday with the Cup Champs and gave our team yet another first-round prospect. Eddy way over-performing expectations and essentially becoming this year’s CDH was just an added bonus.

CdH + 1 year of Faulk >>>>> 1 year of Edmundson + 4 years of Gar(no D)iner + Bokk

Between this post and my post above, Gardiner just got turned around skating like a geriatric beer leaguer and Edmundson had another ill advised pinch.

 

[Svechhammer]

I think we're forgetting just how absolutely godawful Kaberle was here. Not that Jake has been a world beater by any means but Kaberle was an absolute gaffe machine. Part of that is that he was put with a rookie Justin Faulk (****ing REALLY Paul?!) and Faulk was having to cover for his ass frequently. But while Gardiner's been struggling I just haven't seen the same level of terrible turnover leading to uncontested breakaway that we were getting from Kaberle. Gardiner is playing like he doesn't have any confidence in his own body right now. With Fleury healthy it might be a good time to sit him for a few games to allow him to take care of his back.

Unfortunately, Gardiner just had one of the worst individual performances by a Canes skater I have seen in a while. If he keeps regressing like this, he's absolutely in danger of becoming Tomas Kaberle 2.0. Hes really bad right now.

 

[AD Skinner]

Where is the offense? That's what I want to know. The first few games he had some nice passes and scored that OT goal. He could be a defensive disaster if he was contributing any offense which is definitely what he was brought in to do. It's like somewhere along the line he completely forgot how to play like the monsters from space jam got him

 

[WreckingCrew]

Where is the offense? That's what I want to know. The first few games he had some nice passes and scored that OT goal. He could be a defensive disaster if he was contributing any offense which is definitely what he was brought in to do. It's like somewhere along the line he completely forgot how to play like the monsters from space jam got him

Faulk 2.0...but maybe even worse defensively? Wasn't happy with trading CDH, WAS excited to get Gardiner, now back to regretting not just keeping CDH. Our team D-play has been the worst part of our team this year even moreso than individual performances