Leafs' defenseman Jake Gardiner facing the toughest challenge of his life.

Gardiner facing a very difficult challenge early in the season.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Leafs' defenseman Jake Gardiner facing the toughest challenge of his life.
Keystone Press

At this time of year you would expect a professional hockey player in the National Hockey League to have 100% of his focus on the season ahead. That however is not the case at all for Toronto Maple Leafs veteran defenseman Jake Gardiner and not even the most die hard of Maple Leafs' fans would dare blame him for it. 

With the NHL preseason in full swing and the start of the 2018 - 2019 NHL regular season drawing closer and closer Gardiner and his wife Lucy Gardiner welcomed their first child into the world this week, a tremendous moment in the life of any couple. As you would expect this has now presented both Jake and wife Lucy with the toughest challenge of their young lives thus far although fortunately it sounds like they are surrounded by a great support network that will help make the transition to their new lives as seamless as possible. 

The little boy, whom Jake and Lucy have named Henry John Gardiner, came into the world this week but by the sounds of things his parents had expected to get a few more days of preparation under their belt before his arrival. Speaking to the media following the life changing announcement Jake admitted that he had actually planned on holding a practice run on the day his wife delivered when he received an unexpected and rather urgent phone call.

"We were scheduled for a week later and my wife went into labour a little early," Gardiner said as per the Toronto Sun. "I planned on practising that day and, obviously, I changed pretty quickly."

Henry came home with Jake and Wife Lucy on Thursday of this week and, as is often the case, the young couple was a little overwhelmed by the whole situation. Gardiner admitted as much when discussing the situation with reporters but he also added that both his family and Lucy's family have been tremedous help, and by the sounds of things it sounds like some dad's in the Maple Leafs' locker room may also be helping out.

"We had no idea what we were doing,” joked Gardiner. "It was pretty interesting. You just kind of ask around the locker room. But Lucy has friends and both our moms (from Minnesota) are here helping out. You’re definitely not sleeping."

Sleep or no sleep it sounds like this new challenge won't be keeping Gardiner, who understandably missed some time in the preseason, away from the ice much longer. It sounds like the plan is for him to make his return to the ice today when the Leafs' will face off against the Buffalo Sabres in another preseason game and it will be interesting to see how much the new baby will take a toll on his performance. I have no doubt that Gardiner his well prepared for the upcoming season but as any new parent will tell you, sleep is very hard to come by with a newborn baby in the house.

Thankfully for Gardiner there is plenty of experience in the Leafs locker room with teammate Patrick Marleau being a father of four and head coach Mike Babcock having three children of his own.  I have no doubt that he will be well taken care of as he embarks on the biggest challenge of his life.

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