Music: {allcanada} GARDINER LEANED ON SCHENN FOR RUMOUR RELIEF

Thursday, November 1, 2012

{allcanada} GARDINER LEANED ON SCHENN FOR RUMOUR RELIEF

When the Roberto Luongo rumour mill went into full churn, The Vancouver Province reveals that promising Toronto defenceman Jake Gardiner knew who to lean on. Who better than Luke Schenn? Wait, a minute, Schenn did get traded.

"Sure, but it took four years," Gardiner said. "He had rumours from the first time he got to Toronto. He had four years of it.

"I talked to him and he said, 'Rumours are going to happen. You have to push them off. You can't can't ever worry about it.'"

From that point, Gardiner hasn't, and with good reason.

Since a mid-season sag that saw him sit seven consecutive games in January, there hasn't been a lot for Gardiner to be concerned about.

Even the rumours have been an ego stroke. The Canucks wanted him in a Luongo trade. His skating and transition game fit Vancouver's attack like a longboard suits a hipster. The Leafs responded with their position that they can't possibly give him up.

"I'm happy Toronto wants me, I don't want to leave," Gardiner said.

But after 21 points in his final 40 games, Gardiner is viewed by most as too valuable to flip. There is too much promise for a rookie who walked off a university campus and accelerated his growth in the NHL at warp speed.

Gardiner leads the Marlies into a double dip this week in Abbotsford, with games Thursday and Friday. He has three goals in his first six games and has the potential to be one of the best players you will see in the AHL.

It's a trip which is sure to generate interest at Rogers Arena. You can expect the Canucks to be represented in Abbotsford, where you can take in a hockey game and play one of your own: Guess the assets coming back if Luongo does don the Maple Leaf.