In his career Gardner played 350 games, scoring 190 points in his NHL career. Hockey is a staple for Garnder family as Dave's father, Cal, played in the NHL, as well as his brother Paul. Dave's son also played professional hockey in Europe, but was never able to transition to the NHL game.
In his career Gardner played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, California Seals, Cleveland Barrons and Philadelphia Flyers.