Gardiner getting noticed

As the Toronto Maple Leafs try to figure out how to halt their current slide, at least one player is moving in the right direction.

Rookie defenceman Jake Gardiner has been his team's best and most notable player the past few games. His ice time is up and so is his confidence. The kid who made the team on the basis of his exceptional play through the pre-season is suddenly looking like a future impact performer.

"The first couple of games as a rookie you are pretty nervous," Gardiner said. "It's a big step up from college. The more you play, the more comfortable you get. There's still a lot of time left in the season and I need to keep improving every game. Right now I feel pretty good."

In Toronto's last four games, the 21-year-old has been given more responsibility and has responded favorably. When Toronto played in Dallas Nov. 25, Gardiner played a season-high 34 shifts and 28:34 ice time. Saturday night in the loss to the Bruins, Gardiner was on the ice for a team-high 26:04, had an assist and was even.

Following Saturday's game, Gardiner was tied for second in points by rookie defencemen with Marc-Andre Gragnani of the Buffalo Sabres with eight apiece; one behind Adam Larsson of the New Jersey Devils. Gardiner's average ice time of 20:22 ranked third; he was eighth in average shifts per game at 25.5 and was fourth in shots with 24. In the past four games Gardiner has averaged 31 shifts per game.

Gardiner was chosen 17th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, but was traded to the Maple Leafs last season, along with winger Joffrey Lupul, for veteran D-man Francois Beauchemin in what is arguably GM Brian Burke's best deal since he came to Toronto. After scoring 10 goals and 41 points in 41 games with the University of Wisconsin Badgers last season, Gardiner turned pro and played 10 games in the American Hockey League with the Toronto Marlies registering three assists.

Gardiner's bread and butter is his slick skating and ability to read the play. In an era when coaches preach drilling the puck out of the zone off the glass as quickly as possible, Gardiner often chooses to skate it out. It's a risky proposition, but one he's willing to take.

"I have to find a happy medium," Gardiner said. "I try to pick my spots as to when I rush the puck and when I chip it out. In training camp I did it a little more because I had to impress some people. It has always been a big part of my game. Playing against the top lines, I need to think defence first, but when I get the opportunity to rush the puck, I'm going to take it. I'm not a guy who likes to sit back and watch things happen. I like to help out on the rush and be the fourth guy. I've tried to play that way more and more."

While at Wisconsin, Gardiner played with a number of Badgers who have since moved on to the NHL including Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers, Blake Geoffrion and Craig Smith of the Nashville Predators and Jamie McBain of the Carolina Hurricanes. Defenceman Brendan Smith was Detroit's first pick in 2007 and played three games with the Red Wings last season.

"We all stay in touch," he said. "I'm really good friends with Stepan and McDonagh. We congratulate each other if we have a good game or we chirp each other if we're playing against each other soon. It's exciting to see all these Wisconsin guys playing in the NHL right now."

Gardiner noticed his playing time going up of late, but said he has not had a discussion with coach Ron Wilson about it.

"I think part of it is the fact I'm getting more ice time on the penalty kill and also that I'm playing with Luke Schenn," Gardiner said. "We've been playing well together and our chemistry is getting better with each game. Coach Wilson trusts us playing against the other team's top lines and that helps a lot."

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.