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Chicago Blackhawks: Are they in on Jake Gardiner?

By Vincent Parise

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 15: Jake Gardiner #51 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Boston Bruins in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 15: Jake Gardiner #51 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Boston Bruins in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Blackhawks have been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, but would he be worth the addition to the roster?

The Chicago Blackhawks are now being linked to Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner. There are reports saying that he will end up on one of the Blackhawks or the Minnesota Wild. The Wild could use him because they have two or three good defensive defensemen on their team like Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, and Jared Spurgeon.

The Blackhawks, however, had a really tough time keeping the puck out of their own net last season. Duncan Keith is still a good top-four guy and Brent Seabrook makes a fine third pair guy if he is shielded and put in a position to succeed, but they are no longer elite. A guy like Jake Gardiner might be trouble for a team like the Blackhawks in 2019-20.

They are in prime position to add an awesome young defenseman in Bowen Byram with the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. They also have young guys like Ian Mitchell and Henri Jokiharu in their system just begging to join the team full time.

They have a guy very similar to Gardiner in Erik Gustafsson. A guy who is solid in the offensive zone but can be an absolute mess in his own zone. These guys are nice when they are helping put the puck in the opponent’s net, but defending is so important to success in the National Hockey League.

He missed 20 games in 2018-19 and the Maple Leafs did struggle a little bit without him, but in 62 games he had three goals and 27 assists for 30 points. That is almost a 40 point pace over 82 games which is awesome offensive production for a guy like him. Still, that isn’t an area that the Blackhawks need help with right now. They need to defend better and add depth to their bottom-six forward group in order to improve in 2019-20.

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Those offensive numbers are also going to earn Gardiner a nice contract this summer so that money might be better spent in other areas if you are Stan Bowman. If they do add Gardiner then we will obviously be forced to cheer him on, but there are better spots to put that money. A defensive defenseman would be much more valuable.

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