Location: The centre of the hockey universe Joined: 07.31.2006
Mar 27 @ 2:43 PM ET
Uhh, hasn't Gardiner has been their best defenseman all season? He makes mistakes once in a while, like any other Dman, but he doesn't get scored on and produces offensively. He's a +25 which is top 10 for all dmen in the league. He's great for a top 4 for the forseeable future. - 13sundin13
Location: The centre of the hockey universe Joined: 07.31.2006
Mar 27 @ 2:45 PM ET
Man well this just got interesting... hoping Andersen isn't out for too long here cause that is a pretty big blow down a homestretch playoff push. Thinking thank god though Kapanen was recalled over more Smith cause he sucks! Also thinking Kapanen on the 4th line might work really. Boyle wins draws and he and Martin seem to retrieve and win puck battles a whole lot. Give them a guy who can finish if they can dish it to him and we might get some use out of a 4th line instead of just grinding and chewing up the clock.
Really looking forward to the future of this team, but with how hard they have tried and played, do want to see them make the playoffs this year just to know they can do it and get a taste, make them hungrier for it. - Roadrunner75
Last 3 of 4 are going to be tough games, not to mention another visit to Buffalo.
Illustration of this: both Polak as well as Hunwick are more reliable in the d-zone than Gardiner. - MaximusAurelius
Hunwick has some serious problems in the Dzone clearing and making good outlet passes, and also struggles keeping the blue line in the Ozone. He's a bottom pairing dman. Polak is good and can handle the big forwards but again, not as good in keeping possession and moving the puck. They can PK cause they're good at getting the puck a firing down it the ice but when you're at even strength thats a horrible play. Gardiner is a great top 4 dman for today's game and make the team better.
Location: not the BigSmoke anymore Joined: 10.29.2007
Mar 27 @ 2:47 PM ET
He's had a great second half to his AHL season, once he stopped pouting about being demoted. He's got some offensive ability. And he plays aggressive too, which I like a lot. - mykokes
and decent hands ... seems to have taken well to setting up in front and around the net on the powerplay...
he carried the team for a bit while Leipsic and Kapanen were injured.
Location: RELEASE THE LATVIAN!, ON Joined: 11.09.2009
Mar 27 @ 3:04 PM ET
IMO, the solution to fixing the d isn't trading Gardiner. I think him and Zaitsev have been very good together, a solid #3 and #4. His numbers this year speak for themselves.
The problem is finding a guy to play with Reilly.
I accept that many of you hate Gardiner, but I assure you, you remove him there will be an even bigger hole.
This doesn't surprise me considering your hockey allegiances. - TheMussel
I went down to a part of my office that I don't usually and there was a new guy who is hanging a Habs jersey over his desk. What's the best way to dispose of a body?
Location: RELEASE THE LATVIAN!, ON Joined: 11.09.2009
Mar 27 @ 3:17 PM ET
I C - AdamFrench
Seriously, you want to see the difference between Gardiner today, and Gardiner of last year and the year before.....see Connor Carrick. I entered this year one of Gardiner's biggest critics. He's gotten much better at reading impending doom in his own zone, clearing the puck out of danger....and he's gotten much better at using his body and his stick. Does he get caught sometimes? Yes...all d-men do. But he's done a lot more good in every game than bad. He's a guy that plays 20 minutes plus a night, and his team puts the puck in the other teams net alot more than it gets scored on when he's on. I don't panic at all when he's on the ice. In fact, I expect the Leafs to eventually score. The same can't be said of many of the other Leaf defenders.
Location: Isn't Cooley 5"11? You know who else is 5"11? Sydney Crosby. - Scabeh Joined: 04.06.2011
Mar 27 @ 3:17 PM ET
Seriously, you want to see the difference between Gardiner today, and Gardiner of last year and the year before.....see Connor Carrick. I entered this year one of Gardiner's biggest critics. He's gotten much better at reading impending doom in his own zone, clearing the puck out of danger....and he's gotten much better at using his body and his stick. Does he get caught sometimes? Yes...all d-men do. But he's done a lot more good in every game than bad. He's a guy that plays 20 minutes plus a night, and his team puts the puck in the other teams net alot more than it gets scored on when he's on. - mykokes
I went down to a part of my office that I don't usually and there was a new guy who is hanging a Habs jersey over his desk. What's the best way to dispose of a body? - markmark
You don't want to get rid of him. You have a great opportunity to turn the company against him and the Habs.
Get some fart spray and put it on his chair when he's not there...
I went down to a part of my office that I don't usually and there was a new guy who is hanging a Habs jersey over his desk. What's the best way to dispose of a body? - markmark
Location: Living rent free... in your head, ON Joined: 09.20.2010
Mar 27 @ 3:24 PM ET
Seriously, you want to see the difference between Gardiner today, and Gardiner of last year and the year before.....see Connor Carrick. I entered this year one of Gardiner's biggest critics. He's gotten much better at reading impending doom in his own zone, clearing the puck out of danger....and he's gotten much better at using his body and his stick. Does he get caught sometimes? Yes...all d-men do. But he's done a lot more good in every game than bad. He's a guy that plays 20 minutes plus a night, and his team puts the puck in the other teams net alot more than it gets scored on when he's on. I don't panic at all when he's on the ice. In fact, I expect the Leafs to eventually score. The same can't be said of many of the other Leaf defenders. - mykokes
...and many of the other leafs defenders will be replaced.
Carrick would make a good 5th/6th dman...where he belongs.
Keep Rielly, Z and Carrick...find better replacements for the rest.
IMO, the solution to fixing the d isn't trading Gardiner. I think him and Zaitsev have been very good together, a solid #3 and #4. His numbers this year speak for themselves.
The problem is finding a guy to play with Reilly.
I accept that many of you hate Gardiner, but I assure you, you remove him there will be an even bigger hole. - mykokes
.... 
