Hurricanes land Gardiner with four-year deal

TORONTO Jake Gardiner kept a lifeline open to the Toronto Maple Leafs for as long as he could, but on Friday afternoon he signed a fouryear US$16.2 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Gardiner, a member of the Toronto defence for eight seasons and many rough periods when his penchant for badly timed giveaways cost the Leafs key games, nonetheless was ninth in club history in games played by a blueliner with 551. His 245 points were 28th in the franchise books.

Though his departure was expected, the unrestricted free agent did not sign with another team on July 1 and up until this week, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he was not closing the door. But as it became obvious the Leafs will have to pay restricted free agent Mitch Marner near or more than $11 million a season and aren’t making any other imminent deals to clear space, Gardiner had to make his decision with training camp a week away.

In Carolina, he joins a defence already conducive to his swift skating style, led by rising star Jaccob Slavin, Justin Faulk, Dougie Hamilton, Haydn Fleury, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brent Pesce (the latter pursued by the Leafs in previous trade talks). Gardiner is 29 years old and can help the power play.

In Toronto, a couple of terrible playoff games, including a minus-five night against Boston in Game 7 of their 2018 series, will be part of his legacy.

Gardiner came to the Leafs from Anaheim with Joffrey Lupul in a trade for Francois Beauchemin.

Questioned about his fellow Minnesotan and off-season training partner Gardiner on Thursday, Leaf defenceman Justin Holl said “I know he’ll miss Toronto and we’ll miss him for sure. Whenever I’ve talked to him, he’s been relaxed. He’ll be in a good spot no matter what.”