Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle does not care about Jake Gardiner’s agent’s opinions on how to run a hockey team.
Carlyle clarified his stance to reporters following practice Wednesday after Gardiner’s agent, Ben Hankinson, tweeted out his displeasure with his client’s absence from the Leafs lineup Tuesday night.
Randy Carlyle: “I don’t really pay attention to what agent’s have to say. I don’t live in the Twitter world.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013
Randy Carlyle says he hasn’t been told that Jake Gardiner is too good to be playing in the AHL.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013
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Carlyle wasn’t the only head coach in the Leafs organization that was not impressed with Gardiner’s agent’s tweet.
— Ben Hankinson (@benhankinson) March 13, 2013
Eakins said he disagreed with Gardiner’s agent message and admitted he took offence to the tweet.
Dallas Eakins on #FreeJakeGardiner: “From his agent’s standpoint, I’m not sure it was well thought out.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013
Dallas Eakins also said he takes offence to the notion that Jake Gardiner is locked up somewhere that he needs to be freed from.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013
While Gardiner did not feel as strongly as his agent, he believes the tweet was blown out of proportion.
Gardiner says he doesn’t think his agent meant any harm from the tweet. “I’m not going to let that distract me”.
— Caroline Cameron (@SNCaroline) March 13, 2013
Jake Gardiner on #FreeJakeGardiner: “I’m just waiting for my opportunity.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013
The Leafs defence has started to show cracks the past few weeks and many have wondered why general manager Dave Nonis and head coach Randy Carlyle continue to leave Gardiner in the minors with the Toronto Marlies.
Gardiner, 22, is considered to be one of the best young defenceman in the Leafs’ system and showed significant promise during his 75 games with the club last year, registering seven goals and 23 assists. He has 30 points in 40 games with the Marlies this season.
He would provide the Leafs with a speedy, puck-moving defenceman that the team currently does not have on their roster. It is unclear why he has not caught the eye of Carlyle.
The 6-foot-2 defenceman was expected to start the season with the Leafs but suffered a concussion while playing in the AHL during the lockout.
He played just two games in the NHL in 2013 but he is said to be healthy at this point in time.
If the Leafs would prefer not to make a roster move, they could turn to veteran defencemen Mike Komisarek or John-Michael Liles (who combine for close to $10 million in salary), who have both been healthy scratches for most of the past month
Liles, 32, has not dressed since Feb. 16 and has just one goal and five assists in 15 games this season.
The Leafs are rumoured to be trying to trade both Liles and Komisarek but have yet to find any suitors for the highly-paid defencemen.
Korbinian Holzer could be a possible candidate to be sent down due to his contract status if the Leafs decide to make a change on the blue-line.
The Leafs have gotten just one point in their last three games and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Great to see the Toronto Media excited about @torontomarlies vs Lake Erie tonight. Media attendance back up to where it was during lockout.
— Dallas Eakins (@dallaseakins) March 13, 2013
