The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman missed the entire 2021-22 season after having hip and back surgeries. He hasn't played since May 10, 2021.
Gardiner, 32, was cleared to return to play in early June and is participating in Da Beauty League, a 4-on-4 summer hockey league for NHL, American Hockey League and NCAA Division I players living in Minnesota.
"It was hard," Gardiner said Wednesday of the missed time. "I've worked my butt off and done countless treatments and rehabs and exercises to be ready to get back."
The Hurricanes said they will welcome back the veteran of 10 NHL seasons, who has played two seasons with Carolina after playing his first eight with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
''Barring anything unforeseen, he'll come to camp and we'll go from there," general manager Don Waddell said at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal on July 7.
Gardiner has one season remaining on a four-year, $16.2 million contract ($4.05 average annual value) he signed Sept. 6, 2019.
How Gardiner will be used and whom he will play with in 2022-23 will be a big question mark because the Hurricanes have been aggressive in remaking their defensemen since he was injured.
Carolina traded for veteran defenseman Brent Burns on July 13, sending forward Steven Lorentz, goalie prospect Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft to the San Jose Sharks.
Burns had 54 points (10 goals, 44 assists) in 82 regular-season games last season and has 777 points (227 goals, 550 assists) in 1,251 games with the Sharks and Minnesota Wild. The 37-year-old won the Norris Trophy in 2016-17 as the NHL's best defenseman.
Burns will help offset the loss of defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on July 8. DeAngelo had 51 points (10 goals, 41 assists) in 64 games in his only season with the Hurricanes, including 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) on the power play.
Carolina also lost defensemen Ian Cole (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Brendan Smith (New Jersey Devils) in free agency.
Last offseason, the Hurricanes lost defenseman Dougie Hamilton while Gardiner was injured. Hamilton signed a seven-year contract with the Devils following 2020-21 after he had 42 points (10 goals, 32 assists) in 55 regular-season games for Carolina that season.
"We lost Tony DeAngelo, who was a big power-play guy for us," said Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei, who is also participating in Da Beauty League. "But I think 'Burnsy' or [Gardiner] can fill that role right away.
"We know what Jake brings to our team, and it's great to get him back, but I think having a guy like Burns, who has had an unbelievable career and can play some big minutes for us, it's going to be really fun to see. I think he's going to have a really good year. He's going to fit right in with us."
The Hurricanes, who lost in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season, also added forward Max Pacioretty in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 13. Pacioretty had 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 39 regular-season games last season. In the eight previous seasons, he's averaged 29 goals per season.
They lost top-six forwards Nino Niederreiter (Nashville Predators) and Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers) in free agency, but Skjei and Gardiner said they believe the Hurricanes remain a contender for the Stanley Cup.
"We've gotten pretty dang close but haven't gotten there yet," Gardiner said. "And I think we have a really good team, it's just a matter of executing."
