- David Cooper of the Toronto Star: The Maple Leafs signed restricted free agent defenseman Jake Gardiner to a five-year contract worth $20.25 million.
The deal will take the 24-year old defenseman one year into unrestricted free agency, and does not contain a no-trade clause.
“Randy is one of Jake’s biggest supporters,” said Nonis. “Whenever rumours about Jake being on the trading block would pop up, Randy would come to me and say: ‘You’re not really considering moving him?’
“Randy thinks a lot of Jake. He does push him in certain ways that Jake had to adjust to, but it’s only because Randy knows how good Jake can be. Having Jake locked up for five years will make Randy very happy.”
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