For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
The fact that defenseman Jake Gardiner has reached the end of July without signing a free agent contract is tantalizing to some fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the dream (a nightmare for some) of him re-signing with the Leafs is a virtual impossibility with their current cap situation.
The Athletic’s Mike Russo indicated of a podcast last weekend that the back injury Gardiner suffered in March cooled interest from a number of teams in a long term deal, but there is still interest in the 29-year-old blueliner.
Russo reports that Gardiner turned down offers earlier this month but that he may have a handshake deal with a team that has to create space in their budget by moving out a defenseman with a significant salary.
Teams that potentially could be a fit are the Buffalo Sabres, who have been rumored to be looking to move defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen for forward help this summer and are weak on the left side, and possibly the Minnesota Wild, who have Jared Spurgeon entering the final year of his contract, but if the Wild was that club, Tuesday’s firing of GM Paul Fenton may have thrown a wrench into Gardiner’s plan.
This is becoming quite similar to how the free agency of Cody Franson played out four years ago. The former Leaf was traded back to Nashville just before the trade deadline and finished the season badly with the Predators.
The market cooled for Franson that summer and he ended up signing a two-year deal with Buffalo for much less than expected and in the end that may be the case for Gardiner with teams already allocating their cap space this deep into summer.
*******
Leafs 2019 top pick Nick Robertson played for Team USA against Canada in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, MI on Tuesday and was slotted on the top line with LA Kings 2019 top pick Alex Turcotte and NY Islanders 2018 first rounder Oliver Wahlstrom.
Nick Robertson fell awkwardly here. He appeared to be in some pain pic.twitter.com/4iPyU6KiWi
— Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) July 30, 2019
Robertson took a heavy hit from a Canadian defenseman in the second period of the contest, but returned to action soon after.
The 5’9…, 160 lb. winger was selected 53rd overall by the Leafs in Vancouver last month after scoring a over a point-per-game with the Peterborough Petes last season and his placement on the US top line for the preliminary tournament is a sign that the 17-year-old has a good chance of making the American squad for the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic in December.
Here's some Nick Robertson PK action from the first (#14 white) pic.twitter.com/XHSAiQN7qI
— Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) July 30, 2019
*******
We have a new podcast out now. @IamNormanJames @MikeInBuffalo https://t.co/L7XV0syoLa
— The Leafs Convo (@TheLeafsConvo) July 23, 2019
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******