What Leafs could look like next year wo Nylander

Trading Zaitsev may be a necessary but not if that is to keep Gardiner, let him walk. I can't stand watching him slowly coast away from the front of the net while he watches the play only to leave someone wide open in the crease. He has done that more than once every single game.

Not to mention the 2-3 icings a game, and the complete inability to actually pass to someone on target. The stretch passes and the drop passes need to end. Leafs just need to be more well-rounded all around.

We can agree on some of Gardiner's shortcomings but his overall results easily make him a #2 LD. I'd prefer to keep him unless something better comes along because I'm assuming it's not easy to fill the top 4 with Gardiner gone, Zaitsev playing at 3rd pair level for 2 1/2 years, Hainsey not re-signed and aging, and teams unwilling to part with top 4 D as it is.

Gardiner isn't all bad, he does a tonne of good things each game that the vast majority of players just can't do, its just his lapse that bother me. If Rielly wasn't as good as he is offensively, Gardiner would be far more important than he is. At this stage of the Leafs development with the guys they have coming up on the blueline, they don't need him and I think Sandin and Liljegren will be better in the near future.

I have a lot of faith in Dermott, I think he's made a lot of good strides so far. He's shown a far better physicality level this season and his skating is next level. To be honest, whenever Zaitsev and Dermott have been together they've both looked significantly better. I agree that Gardiner is definitely a 2nd pair defenceman and on some teams, he'd be the number one offensive guy but he's also turning 28 and will soon be leaving his prime, I think Dermott and Sandin will be better than him within 3-4 years so spending that much on Gardiner is a mistake.