Gardiner breaks down in last interview as Maple Leaf

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner was hoping for a different outcome against the Boston Bruins this year in the first round series. 

Gardiner was hoping for a different outcome when he cleaned out his stall in the dressing room for what seems the last time as a member of the Maple Leafs. 

The veteran blue liner got very emotional when he met reporters. He seems to know that he won’t be coming back with Toronto next year and he held back tears when talking about the offseason and the major changes to come in his career, per team insider James Mirtle of The Athletic. 

“This team has a real bright future.” Gardiner said, adding that if this is the end he’ll be proud of fact team is where it’s at compared to when he, Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly arrived.

He added that he will miss his teammates the most about Toronto.

Gardiner was a minus-5 in last year’s Game 7 loss. He missed the entire month of March due to a back injury, but posted three goals and 30 points in 62 games during the regular season, averaging 21:13 of ice time per game. He is considering surgery this offseason. 

He spent his entire professional playing career with the Maple Leafs, debuting with the team in 2011 after being traded from the Anaheim Ducks.

Gardiner is one of five pending unrestricted free agents on the Maple Leafs and carries a $4.05 million cap hit in the final season of his five-year, $20.25 million deal signed with the team in 2014.

While it seems clear that he knows he won’t be back, his teammate Rielly will always have his back. 

“Nobody cares what anyone says,” Rielly said after Game 7. “He’s a f—ing really good player. We want him back next year, so that’s that.”

It just doesn’t seem like management agrees with Rielly…