Getty Images The Toronto hockey media horde was out in full force at Marlies practice this morning, eager to follow up on a tweet from Jake Gardiner’s agent that suggested the young defenseman needed to be “freed” from the AHL club and promoted to the suddenly struggling Maple Leafs.
“From his agent’s standpoint, I’m not sure it was well thought out,” said Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, per Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
As for Gardiner, the 22-year-old played it a bit more diplomatically than his representative did last night: “I’m just waiting for my opportunity.”
Gardiner has 30 points in 40 games with the Marlies this season, and with the parent club having lost three straight, his opportunity could theoretically be coming soon.
Unless, of course, Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle decides he won’t have his plans dictated by agents.
Update (3:59 p.m. ET):
Via TSN’s Jonas Siegel, here’s Carlyle: “When we feel it’s time for Jake Gardiner to come back we’re going to make that decision, and we’re not going to be influenced by anybody other than the people that are doing the assessing.”
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Boston leads New York 1-0 in the series.
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‘It’s up in the air right now’: Kings’ Clifford skating, but a trip to San Jose?
May 18, 2013, 12:45 AM EDT
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Oh, the mystery.
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Ottawa has yet to play with the lead in this series.
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Ottawa in a hole.
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Video: Penguins’ Morrow scores game winner against Senators
May 17, 2013, 11:35 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh now two wins away from advancing to conference final.
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Senators’ coach MacLean: Karlsson ‘wasn’t one of the best players’
May 17, 2013, 11:08 PM EDT
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Drastic reduction in ice time in Game 2 compared to Game 1.
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Continue the debate.
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Sid the Kid nets three.
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Video: Penguins’ Vokoun denies Senators’ Greening on the breakaway
May 17, 2013, 9:49 PM EDT
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Ottawa hanging around in the third period.
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Rangers’ Staal skates Friday, but no word on possible return
May 17, 2013, 9:26 PM EDT
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Played once in these playoffs.
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Video: Crosby scores hat trick, hits playoff milestone against Senators
May 17, 2013, 9:01 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh up in Game 2, up in the series.
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After 12-game absence, Miller could return to Wings lineup on Saturday
May 17, 2013, 8:07 PM EDT
AP
He’s been out with a broken thumb.
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Torres won’t appeal suspension, Sharks call punishment ‘grossly unfair’
May 17, 2013, 8:02 PM EDT
According to Sharks GM Doug Wilson.
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Havlat ‘getting closer and closer,’ could return for Sharks in Game 3
May 17, 2013, 7:12 PM EDT
Oh, and Adam Burish has a broken hand.
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AP
Shots haven’t been a problem
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Seth Jones, Nathan McKinnon and Jonathan Drouin all on hand.
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Avery: Playing for Tortorella ‘one of the best things that ever happened to me’
May 17, 2013, 5:04 PM EDT
Well, that was certainly unexpected.
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Both are tall defensemen, but only one is getting kudos for his conditioning.
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“He’s trying to do things the right way.”
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic would be cool with that probably.
