He doesn't know if he's playing so there's little point in asking him.

His coach knows but won't tell.

Still, let's assume that Jake Gardiner will in fact be in the Leafs lineup on Tuesday against Colorado and that Randy Carlyle has come to his senses.

Story continues below advertisement

Because sitting one of the team's better defencemen, on a team that needs all the help it can get at the position, makes little sense.

Yes, the Leafs have seven defencemen. And yes rookie Stuart Percy has been a revelation and deserves to play, as he did over Gardiner in Sunday's win in New York.

But Gardiner, who had a tough start along with a lot of his teammates in the first two games, is going to have to be a vital part of any success the Leafs have this season, and getting him not only playing well but up to his potential should be at the top of his coach's to-do list.

At 24, he should be being developed, not consigned to the press box.

Especially given the Leafs already made a long-term commitment with a new five-year deal in the off-season and he is one of the best possession players on a team with scant few.

"We feel that we have a quality hockey player that can play to a higher level," Carlyle said. "And he agrees with that."

Asked specifically what he'd like to see Gardiner to better, Carlyle said only: "Play better."

Story continues below advertisement

"That's just how it goes sometimes," Gardiner said. "It's on the coach. It's not in my control. The team played well last game so it wouldn't be a huge surprise."

The Carlyle-Gardiner relationship was written about a ton last year, especially in midseason when Gardiner was similarly scratched (that time for Mark Fraser) in the midst of one of the Leafs slides.

There were also trade rumours at that point, but there's no need to be so dramatic here, three games into the season.

The reality is that these are two stubborn men and that Gardiner plays a style that sometimes drives his coach nuts, which is why mistakes from other players go overlooked a little more often than his.

Their relationship is better than it was last year in large part because Gardiner emerged as his team's best defenceman over the last 20 or 30 games of last season, even when everything went to hell. The fact he has more job security than Carlyle helps, too.

There's no reason to think Gardiner can't get back to that level either, although his pairing with friend and roommate Morgan Rielly hasn't worked out as hoped.

Story continues below advertisement

The tough thing is who to sit. The Leafs want to keep Dion Phaneuf on the left side to allow him to acclimatize to that spot. That leaves them with three right-side players (where Gardiner can't play) as well as Percy and Rielly on the left.

Stephane Robidas has likely struggled the most so far in the first three games, but Carlyle is prepared to cut him a break given he didn't play for five months and missed most of training camp rehabbing from a badly broken leg.

And newcomer Roman Polak has been fine save for a key mistake on Rick Nash's goal the other night.

There's no sense pretending like there's an easy answer here. But Gardiner isn't going to get to the level he was at late last year by sitting out, and the Leafs need him playing well more than they need to avoid stepping on veteran's toes.

The good news is, if Percy proves he can play at the NHL level all season, the blueline is deeper than it looked on paper entering camp. Maybe there's a trade at some point and everyone can get minutes, but for now it's going to be a rotation.

It shouldn't be one where Gardiner's the odd man out more than anyone else.

Story continues below advertisement

"This happens," he said, explaining he had watched some game film and knows he needs to contain players better in the defensive zone and move the puck quicker. "It's happened a few times before. It happens to everybody. You can't play great all the time. Just rebound the next time I get an opportunity."