Gardiner traded to the Maple Leafs
February 09, 2011 | Men's Hockey
Feb. 9, 2011
MADISON, Wis. -- Badger junior defenseman Jake Gardiner has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gardiner was sent to Toronto in a three-player deal between the Anaheim Ducks and the Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Gardiner, a first-round pick, was selected No. 17 overall by Anaheim in the 2008 NHL Draft. The Minnetonka, Minn., native was dealt along with Joffrey Lupul and a 2013 conditional fourth-round draft pick in a trade for defenseman Francois Beauchemin.
Wisconsin’s assistant captain has collected seven goals and 23 assists this season. His 30 points are good for fourth on the team and rank third in the nation among defensemen. He also sits second on the Badgers in plus/minus with a +20. In 116 career games he has 16 goals and 48 assists.
Gardiner is the third Badger defenseman since 2004 to be traded while still at Wisconsin. Tom Gilbert was traded from Colorado to Edmonton in 2004 for Tommy Salo and a 2005 sixth round draft pick. Ryan McDonagh was traded in 2008 from Montreal to the New York Rangers in a six-player deal that included Scott Gomez. Both of those defensemen are currently in the NHL with the team that acquired them.
