Jake Gardiner putting Game 7 behind him as Maple Leafs open camp

Dave McCarthy

Jake Gardiner putting Game 7 behind him as Maple Leafs open camp image

Jake Gardiner had one of those nights last spring that can fundamentally shift the trajectory of one’s career.

In Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, Gardiner had a bad game at the worst possible time, finishing a career-worst -5. One of his mistakes came on Jake DeBrusk’s game-winning goal early in the third period as the Bruins went on to eliminate the Maple Leafs.

He admitted on Thursday, as the Leafs convened for training camp, that it took him a while to put the bad finish out of his mind.

“That was a tough couple of weeks,” said Gardiner. “I couldn’t go many places without thinking about it, but you know, you get through it.”

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It can be a difficult thing for an athlete to find a way to move beyond a moment like that, one where it seems like the team’s fate was decided solely by their inability alone to execute.

Now that he has put it in the past, it is not something he will ever use as motivation. Gardiner hopes, in fact, this was the last time he is ever asked to discuss it.

“I don’t want to think about it again, it’s over with, done with, can’t think about it again,” said Gardiner.

What made it all the more difficult for Gardiner to process was the fact that his worst night came during the best season of his career. Gardiner finished with a career-high 52 points (five goals, 47 assists) and had two assists in seven playoff games.

“I did have a great season, I had even a great playoffs I thought and then it was just one bad game,” said Gardiner.

 

Mike Babcock recognized at the time how badly it weighed on Gardiner after he heard the defenseman’s post game remarks.

“Personally, I’ve got to be better. A lot of this game is on me, it’s just not good enough especially in a game like this,” Gardiner said after Game 7, looking stunned. “It’s the most important game of the season and I didn’t show up. It’s going to be a tough one to swallow, that’s for sure. I let a lot of people down but hopefully I can come back better from it.”

 

The coach immediately made it clear he did not want Gardiner bearing the brunt of the blame on his own.

“I made it very clear to him today, don’t be living with that,” Babcock said, on the day the team cleaned out their lockers following their Eastern Conference First Round loss. “The little slap you give yourself so you train harder this summer and work more, great; the rest though, move on.”

Gardiner said on Thursday that message from Babcock went a long way in helping him move forward during the summer.

“It was unfortunate, but good to know that the coach obviously likes you,” said Gardiner. “Just going forward you just don’t think about it, kind of turn the page and move forward.”

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Now in his eighth season with the Maple Leafs, there is much on the line for Gardiner, including a chance to play a part on what he considers to be the best team he has ever been a part of at the NHL level.

“This would be -- in my opinion -- probably the strongest team we’ve had on paper; but that being said, it still needs to be done (on the ice).

“We definitely have a good chance, I think you just need to make the playoffs and then it’s anybody’s tournament after that.”

Dave McCarthy