Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell confirmed during the Canes locker room cleanout that defenseman Jake Gardiner is fully cleared and able to return to hockey next season.
Gardiner missed all of last season after recovering from surgeries to his back and hip. As a result, he was placed on the long-term injured reserved list, which gave the Hurricanes more cap space to work with during the season.
Gardiner will enter the final year of a four year contract with the Hurricanes next season. He carries a $4.05 million cap hit with that contract. The 31-year-old has played 94 games with the Hurricanes, scoring just four goals and racking up 32 points with the team. He has just one assist in seven playoff games for the Canes.
Gardiner previously spent his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he played 551 games with over eight seasons, with 45 goals and 245 points during that span. He played 26 playoff games with the Leafs, with two goals and 12 points.
Gardiner is one of four defenseman on the Canes' NHL roster under contract for next season. Tony DeAngelo and Ethan Bear are both restricted free agents, while Ian Cole and Brendan Smith both face unrestricted free agency.
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