Gardiner’s risks being rewarded
Jake Gardiner’s one man show of “high risk, high reward” is now in its seventh year in Toronto.
And while a certain segment of the audience disapproves and likely won’t ever be swayed, Gardiner is certainly reaping the rewards these days — 13 assists in the past nine games, during which his Maple Leafs have a record of 6-2-1.
On Monday against the Anaheim Ducks, Gardiner produced helpers in every form, a pinching poke check that sprang William Nylander, a point shot tipped by Leo Komarov, and his greatest feat of derring- do, a stretch pass flick from a standing position to Nylander half a rink away for the winner.
“Obviously, I’m going to make some mistakes and still do,” a candid Gardiner said Tuesday morning after practice.
“It was probably worse when I was younger, but I still do it. It happens to everybody.
“I think (coach Mike Babcock) has given me a pretty good leash on making those plays and he understands it’s going to happen, too. Early in my career, I would have sat down a few shifts or something like that. We have a pretty good balance.”
Babcock, a stickler for defensive detail, had a more narrow viewpoint.
“I don’t give him any permission to do anything stupid.” he said. “But ( on the Nylander breakaway) he read the situation. There’s a big difference in being higher risk and ( being) crazy and being smart and knowing where the people are. If we play right offensively, then we’re always in good spots defensively.
“Jake’s got an elite hockey sense, he sees what’s happening and he made a lot of good plays defensively that led to ( scoring chances). He feels good about himself right now and that’s important for our team.”
Gardiner spied Anaheim defenceman Francois Beauchemin sticking to the wall to cut off a pass off the boards if Toronto won the draw, thus justifying his quick feed to Nylander through the middle of the ice.
“It just depends on what time of the game it is, what the score is, who’s on the ice,” said Gardiner, who hasn’t always adhered to conservatism since coming here from Anaheim. “Sometimes ( assists) come in bunches. A big part of my game is making the first pass, hitting guys when they’re open and now the puck is starting to go in.”
Gardiner reached 30 assists Monday, making him the club leader. He’s just four off last season’s career high and now 10th in Leafs history among defencemen at 156 — 13 away from another American blueliner with flair, Al Iafrate.
“I don’t think I’ve had a stretch like this one in the NHL,” said Gardiner, who has also credited the dynamic young offensive players Toronto has in its stable. “( The other Leafs) know when there is going to be open ice, they skate to it. Willy saw that ( on his goal). So it’s not so much me, it’s those guys finding that ice.
“The poke check was a bonus, I wasn’t expecting the puck to stay in and get a goal off it. I think James van Riemsdyk is probably at the top of the league in tipping pucks, he’s got to be at 95 per cent and you like shooting when he’s in front. Then Leo gets in those dirty areas and I’m glad he got rewarded (Monday).”
Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev are often paired on defence, and now each Toronto tandem has an offensive threat, with Morgan Rielly and Travis Dermott augmenting stay-at-homers Ron Hainsey and Roman Polak. Gardiner’s go-to move if beaten is usually to engage the booster rockets in his skates to get back into the play.
“He’s been great; this is the Jake we’ve seen a lot of,” Rielly said. “He’s playing the system, a good team game. You do that, you work hard and you execute, the results come and I think that’s what it is. Hopefully, he can keep it rolling.
“Not many guys can make (Monday’s stretch pass). Jake has that in his bag and has the hockey IQ. It was perfect.”