Do you think when he finally gets fired he'll do a Cloutier-type final blog "lols, it was all an act"
- BestRapperAlive

It is an act with Tanner, and in his defence, it's sorta working.

He gets people to react to his deliberately-antagonistic writings.

And hey, it's pretty successful if you want to continue to get paid in loonies and twonies here at Hockeybuzz.

It's probably not a good strategy if you want to write for a legitimate media outlet, but let's be honest here: Tanner doesn't have the hockey knowledge to actually make that dream a reality.

So here we are.

Jake Gardiner is an elite NHL defenseman and anyone who says differently has to completely ignore the last three years where, at 5v5, he had a top ten impact among all defenseman.

I guess you could twist yourself into knots trying to explain away literally every single way in which we have to measure a hockey player's performance, or just accept the truth.
- James_Tanner

Seeing as this site somehow refuses to fire you, please do the hockey world a solid and quit. You're the definition of embarrassment.

Jake Gardiner is an elite NHL defenseman and anyone who says differently has to completely ignore the last three years where, at 5v5, he had a top ten impact among all defenseman.

I guess you could twist yourself into knots trying to explain away literally every single way in which we have to measure a hockey player's performance, or just accept the truth.
- James_Tanner

Cherry picking stats I see, par for the course.

ceci-harpur
- BINGO!

lol yep

How about just one? He's a turnover machine. In the past three years Gardiner has 237 giveaways; everyone's favorite whipping boy, worst defenseman to ever lace'em up, Ristolainen, has 150. Gardiner has 4928 total minutes while Ristolainen has 5947, for you /60 fans. I guess, technically, that's two.

Don't get me wrong, he's a good defenseman, but he is not elite. Plus his back is allegedly a stiff breeze away from snapping in two. That may explain the fact he's not yet signed.
- Wetbandit1

All puck moving defenseman who handle the puck a lot are going to rack up giveaways.

All puck moving defenseman who handle the puck a lot are going to rack up giveaways.
- MJL

Very true, but I always hear Leafs fans female dogging about the timing of them, and how egregious they are.

I don't understand the term puck moving dman, just in general. Are there ball moving fielders in baseball? Isn't a dman who isn't good at carrying the puck, passing the puck or shooting the puck just a bad dman? What else is there, standing there and getting hit by the puck?

I don't understand the term puck moving dman, just in general. Are there ball moving fielders in baseball? Isn't a dman who isn't good at carrying the puck, passing the puck or shooting the puck just a bad dman? What else is there, standing there and getting hit by the puck?
- Zezel

Defenseman who aren't good puck movers tend to handle the puck a lot less than defenseman who are good at it. They also play less.

Defenseman who aren't good puck movers tend to handle the puck a lot less than defenseman who are good at it. They also play less.
- MJL

I know, I'm just being dumb. They're basically the worst players on the team. Like there's no really, really good non puck moving dman. All star non puck moving dman. Really good at immobilizing the puck.

I know, I'm just being dumb. They're basically the worst players on the team. Like there's no really, really good non puck moving dman. All star non puck moving dman. Really good at immobilizing the puck.
- Zezel

I like it. Nobody in the league is better at tying the puck up in the corner resulting in a defensive zone draw!

I like it. Nobody in the league is better at tying the puck up in the corner resulting in a defensive zone draw!
- MJL

Or really good at clearing the puck off the glass for an icing lol

Or really good at clearing the puck off the glass for an icing lol
- Zezel

Leads the league in 2 minute delay of game penalties for puck over the glass. There has to be some kind of chart for this.

Leads the league in 2 minute delay of game penalties for puck over the glass. There has to be some kind of chart for this.
- MJL

I would like to see that stat.

There's something very odd going on (and no, I don't have a clue or roomer).

It's one thing for a guy to be unsigned this long (even coming off an injury), but there hasn't even been a peep in the media, from Gardiner or from the roomer mills.

The only thing I've heard (take it with a huge grain of salt) is that he was holding off on signing a contract, in the weird hope that somehow the Leafs could re-sign him.

Looking at their roster on Cap Friendly, I can't imagine how that could ever be possible, unless they trade Ceci, and I don't see that happening.
- Atomic Wedgie

Or Marner

Jesus.

Cant agree more. Is hedman perfect? no i dont believe so, he could have a bit more grit but truth be told those battles in the corner he plays the puck and not the man, and for the most part he gets the puck... I have no idea what tanner is talking about, most of the time its just click bait nonsense and plays the leafs card as often as he can so its par for the course really.
- headyhedman77

Hedman May be better than Rielly. That wasn’t my concern. I believe there are better dmen in the NHL than both and not just a few.

Hedman best dman in league is definitely just wrong. The best dman usually doesn’t win the Norris either

Hedman should have got a ring for the cup vs Washington a couple of years ago. Caps had no fears in corners.

No I’m not drunk at games...bolts a regular season juggernaut. Playoffs not so much

Hedman May be better than Rielly. That wasn’t my concern. I believe there are better dmen in the NHL than both and not just a few.

Hedman best dman in league is definitely just wrong. The best dman usually doesn’t win the Norris either

Hedman should have got a ring for the cup vs Washington a couple of years ago. Caps had no fears in corners.

No I’m not drunk at games...bolts a regular season juggernaut. Playoffs not so much
- leafluver27

This post is so bad lol

UFA elite NHL defenseman get signed on July 1!
- MJL

To be fair a lot of teams prob called. He is waiting on the Leafs first and foremost. Second he is coming off a back injury which may have teams leery to sign him long term.

To be fair a lot of teams prob called. He is waiting on the Leafs first and foremost. Second he is coming off a back injury which may have teams leery to sign him long term.
- legendguy

I'm sure they did. What are the Leafs going to be able to pay him, if at all. Again the point is that if he was truly an elite NHL defenseman, in free agency at 29, he'd be looking at offered deals of 8M+ and he wouldn't be waiting on the Leafs.

Todd why do you associate with Tanner? You’re better than this.

It is an act with Tanner, and in his defence, it's sorta working.

He gets people to react to his deliberately-antagonistic writings.

And hey, it's pretty successful if you want to continue to get paid in loonies and twonies here at Hockeybuzz.

It's probably not a good strategy if you want to write for a legitimate media outlet, but let's be honest here: Tanner doesn't have the hockey knowledge to actually make that dream a reality.

So here we are.
- Atomic Wedgie

you put too much thought into it. shame shame!

I've been following the Leafs over 4 decades now. I love that team although over the years they have made it very hard to love them. I'll still defend them to my death. But Tanner makes me embarrassed as a Leaf fan. I can't continue to read this. Saying 51 is elite? Its just trolling. No one who actually watches hockey would say that ever. Even some die hard long time Leafs fans I know.

I would like to see that stat.
- Zezel

I’d be willing to bet Chara tops that list

Don't know why anyone's obsessed with 5v5 as though special teams were just a stupid part of the game that you don't need to be good at anyway.

Don't know why anyone's obsessed with 5v5 as though special teams were just a stupid part of the game that you don't need to be good at anyway.
- archromat

Because the majority of the game is played at 5-on-5. If I recall correctly, it averages out to ~12 mins/game on special teams and the remaining 48 minutes at even strength. You're better off quantifying the elements of the game state in which 80% of the game is played first and then looking further into the remaining 20%.