As the regular season steadily approaches, some impactful unrestricted free agents are still waiting to get signed by their new teams. But there have been an increasing amount of discussion whether a certain UFA will return to his former team as they try to contend for a Stanley Cup.
Jake Gardiner is in his first summer as an unrestricted free agent and has yet to be signed after a flurry of moves as soon as July 1 hit. Whether it’s finding the right contract or teams being worried about his past back injury, the timeline is growing shorter each day for him to find a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Eliotte Friedman, in an appearance on Tim & Sid, stressed the fact that both sides — Gardiner and the Leafs — both prefer each other over the other options that both parties have. In a perfect world, Gardiner would no doubt be a member of this team when training camp rolls around.
Friedman went on to talk more about the player’s point-of-view. Whether being on a highly-successful team but in a more depth role than he would be somewhere else, is truly beneficial for future contracts. If he’s looking for …

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Author: Thomas Williams / The Leafs Nation