Report: Maple Leafs, Jake Gardiner negotiating 2-year deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly negotiating a bridge contract with restricted free agent defenseman Jake Gardiner. 

The two sides have reportedly discussed a two-year agreement that will cost the organization somewhere between $2.25 million and $3 million per season, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. 

A two- to three-year bridge deal, similar to the one Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban signed in 2013, will afford the Maple Leafs an opportunity to further evaluate the 23-year-old's development as an all-situations defenseman.

That said, general manager Dave Nonis did admit that the organization has considered deploying the young defenseman up front. 

Either way, should the Maple Leafs retain Gardiner for the short term, they will discover what they have in the Wisconsin product. 

Heck, it worked in Montreal.