“Jake has been a huge part of turning this franchise around, and I don’t think one game or a series of games will judge that.” If this is it for Gardiner in Toronto, the depth of his impact shouldn’t be reduced to playoff outcomes. (KrRutherford)
Gardiner isn’t beating himself up about this latest loss, his dad, John says. John texted Jake after the game Tuesday, with basics like "a couple tough bounces" and "sorry about the loss" and "tough series," and Gardiner got back to him with a simple: "Thanks, dad. I appreciate it." And that was that.Auston Matthews
"I think that one of the things that is a bit sad for me particularly about Jake, is Jake has been the driving force in having this team, from 2014, the first day walking in here to where it is now, it’s night and day difference," Dubas said. "As I told him today, his contributions and what his legacy is to the Toronto Maple Leafs, people try to tie it to small, tiny events, like the question earlier about Game 7 and what does this mean and that mean.
"That’s just how it is here, I think," he said. "It’s good and bad, you know? If you’re winning, you’re the best player on Earth. If you’re losing, you suck. Some people see it differently than others and they’re not always going to agree with you. You have to deal with it, whether it’s fans ripping you or media, it’s all part of professional sports and you’ve got to get through it.
Certainly Gardiner can let that thick skin shed a bunch of layers if his next contract is outside of Toronto.
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