via mapleleafs.com
David Nonis, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Tuesday that the hockey club has signed defenceman Jake Gardiner to a five-year contract.
Gardiner, 24, played in 80 games for the Maple Leafs and collected 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) with 19 penalty minutes in 2013-14. He ranked second on the team with a 21:04 ‘time on ice’ average. He established single-season career-highs for games played, goals, points, penalty minutes, powerplay goals (2) and shots (136).
Gardiner placed first on the Maple Leafs for points in the month of March with 11 (6g, 5a) in 15 games played. The native of Minnetonka, Minnesota was selected and played for Team USA at the IIHF World Championship in Belarus following the conclusion of the 2013-14 NHL season.
He was originally Anaheim’s first choice, 17th overall, in the 2008 Entry Draft. Toronto obtained Gardiner from the Ducks along with Joffrey Lupul and a fourth-round pick (later obtained by San Jose) in the 2013 Entry Draft for Francois Beauchemin on February 9, 2011.