Maple Leafs in the market for a new Goalie

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

From Elliot Friedman on the Fan.

?To me right now, the biggest question this organization has is: ?What are we going to look like in goal in three years?...That is the question I think they?ve got to be asking. I know they?ve started looking around and seeing what is available out there. Because I look at their organization right now and I see young players coming at forward. I see some young defensemen. I don?t see clarity long term in goal. And in this league, if you don?t have goaltending ? you don?t got nothing.?

What say you guys, should we give Bibeau and Sparks a run next season to get a look at what they have? Do you think any of the four on the depth chart are a potential solution in three years?

Do you target a Vasilevsky/Gibson/Subban and what are you prepared to move to get one of those high-value goalie prospects?

 

[ZBBM]

From Elliot Friedman on the Fan.

?To me right now, the biggest question this organization has is: ?What are we going to look like in goal in three years?...That is the question I think they?ve got to be asking. I know they?ve started looking around and seeing what is available out there. Because I look at their organization right now and I see young players coming at forward. I see some young defensemen. I don?t see clarity long term in goal. And in this league, if you don?t have goaltending ? you don?t got nothing.?

What say you guys, should we give Bibeau and Sparks a run next season to get a look at what they have? Do you think any of the four on the depth chart are a potential solution in three years?

Do you target a Vasilevsky/Gibson/Subban and what are you prepared to move to get one of those high-value goalie prospects?

Yes ? and given that we don't want to move any of our best current prospects, and there being so little of value on the current roster, we should be prepared to buck our newly received wisdom and move a high pick in the package. 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Yes ? and given that we don't want to move any of our best current prospects, and there being so little of value on the current roster, we should be prepared to buck our newly received wisdom and move a high pick in the package.

Interesting, I assume a deal for any of those goalies would likely involve Pit 1st. Perhaps a guy like Johnson could be of interest to a lot of teams too, but how willing the Leafs would be to give him up without getting a look at him over here first I don't know.

One of those guys for a mid to late 1st seems like a draft day type of deal when pick values are inflated even more.

It's tough though because obviously those teams are going to want close to a kings ransom, how much of a market there is will likely set the value though.

Another option is trying to find the answer in Free Agency, that seems like a horrible idea to me though.

 

[ZBBM]

Yes ? and given that we don't want to move any of our best current prospects, and there being so little of value on the current roster, we should be prepared to buck our newly received wisdom and move a high pick in the package.

Interesting, I assume a deal for any of those goalies would likely involve Pit 1st. Perhaps a guy like Johnson could be of interest to a lot of teams too, but how willing the Leafs would be to give him up without getting a look at him over here first I don't know.

One of those guys for a mid to late 1st seems like a draft day type of deal when pick values are inflated even more.

It's tough though because obviously those teams are going to want close to a kings ransom, how much of a market there is will likely set the value though.

Another option is trying to find the answer in Free Agency, that seems like a horrible idea to me though.

There's no way around paying a premium price unless you can develop your own.  The real question is, do we trust the current management not to pull a Raycroft 2.0.

 

[cabber24]

I am always amazed how goalies around the NHL seem to come out of no where? Hammond last year and Condon this year. I suggest the Leafs be patient, you never know. It's not something I think they should be moving assets for yet.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

What say you guys, should we give Bibeau and Sparks a run next season to get a look at what they have? Do you think any of the four on the depth chart are a potential solution in three years?

You never know with goalies, but I really wouldn't put any money on either of those guys doing anything of significance in the NHL. Again, you never know, but I'd need to see at least 1 full season of them dominating at the AHL level before even thinking about their NHL potential.

Do you target a Vasilevsky/Gibson/Subban and what are you prepared to move to get one of those high-value goalie prospects?

I mean, didn't we basically already do this with Bernier? He was basically in the exact same position as these guys, albeit we got him a little later in his career. Goaltending would be the last thing I'd be looking to spend assets on.

 

[caver]

you can get lucky like Tampa did...a 2nd round pick for Bishop...

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

What say you guys, should we give Bibeau and Sparks a run next season to get a look at what they have? Do you think any of the four on the depth chart are a potential solution in three years?

You never know with goalies, but I really wouldn't put any money on either of those guys doing anything of significance in the NHL. Again, you never know, but I'd need to see at least 1 full season of them dominating at the AHL level before even thinking about their NHL potential.

Do you target a Vasilevsky/Gibson/Subban and what are you prepared to move to get one of those high-value goalie prospects?

I mean, didn't we basically already do this with Bernier? He was basically in the exact same position as these guys, albeit we got him a little later in his career. Goaltending would be the last thing I'd be looking to spend assets on.

Oh, for sure they did. I'm just going off the Friedman reports.

Would you be inclined to target a more established guy? I don't know how many options you would have that don't come with a bit of a boat anchor of a contract.

(Obviously based on the reports they are looking.)

Personally I'd prefer to run with what they have right now, bring in some prospects at the draft and through free agency if possible.

It's likely to be 3 years before it really matters anyway, but I just wanted to have the conversation since it appears they are sniffing around, I trust Friedman.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

you can get lucky like Tampa did...a 2nd round pick for Bishop...

Whose contract expires next season, I wonder if what Stamkos decides will influence their decision there. If Stamkos leaves do they go younger and let Vasilevky run with it or do they try and re-sign the aging guy who is probably going to want a pay increase and a longer contract and continue to try and contend?

 

[Highlander]

why to we want a decent goalie right now, we don't or even next year. Do we have so little faith that Sparks or Bibeau will not be able with Riemer as a mentor perhaps.  I would rather see Bernier go then Reims at this point.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Again, the discussion is more of who specifically or what type of goalie would you think they'd target, given that apparently they are kicking tires.

 

[bustaheims]

What say you guys, should we give Bibeau and Sparks a run next season to get a look at what they have? Do you think any of the four on the depth chart are a potential solution in three years?

Do you target a Vasilevsky/Gibson/Subban and what are you prepared to move to get one of those high-value goalie prospects?

With goalies, you really need to explore all options. I'm sure they haven't given up on Bibeau or Sparks, but you need to have contingency plans and such. I imagine they're looking at potential targets to ask for in deadline deals and such.

 

[riff raff]

Goaltending is soooooooo important and I don't really feel confident that we have any young studs coming along. Having said that, and especially given our history with bad goalie trades, I don't think they should rush into anything trade-wise.

Sparks did just win AHL player of the week or something so it's possible he could develop into something.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Was watching Lebrun and Dreger talk about the likelihood that there is going to be a significant reduction in the size of goalie equipment in the very near future.

I wonder if the smaller equipment will expose a few guys that relied pretty heavily on the equipment size. There could be a few teams holding a pretty awful contract on a guy that can't really play goal in the NHL any longer.

How long afterwards before they can redefine what a good Sv% looks like?

 

[Bonsixx]

I think they will (and should) continue to roll out Bernier as a starter, at least for the duration of this year, but probably next year too. As someone said, he was once a highly-regarded prospect with starter written all over him according to many, including his former goalie coach in L.A., Bill Ranford.

We can all probably see which way his career will wind up, but they might as well make absolutely sure after, as someone said, they paid a price to bring him here. I mean, most of this could really be a confidence issue after being shell-shocked for the last two years. Remember when Bernier came here, he looked like a million bucks for the majority of the season.

 

[bustaheims]

Remember when Bernier came here, he looked like a million bucks for the majority of the season.

He didn't really, though. He started out fantastic and then faded as the season went. Right from the get-go, he had a propensity to let in strange/questionable/weak goals. It's not something that just suddenly happened to him. At this point, we've seen enough of him to confidently say that what he is now is the what he's overwhelmingly likely to be for the rest of his career - a pretty average goalie.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Remember when Bernier came here, he looked like a million bucks for the majority of the season.

He didn't really, though. He started out fantastic and then faded as the season went. Right from the get-go, he had a propensity to let in strange/questionable/weak goals. It's not something that just suddenly happened to him. At this point, we've seen enough of him to confidently say that what he is now is the what he's overwhelmingly likely to be for the rest of his career - a pretty average goalie.

He feels a bit like Toskala 2.0, only the XL model.

 

[Arn]

I wouldn't put Bernier in the Toskala/Raycroft level just yet.

However I'd be comfortable having Reimer longer term, even if it is in a split with Bibeau/Sparks next year with hopefully one of them earning the spot in the longer term and see if you can get anything decent in return for Bernier at some stage. (Obviously contract status will probably have a big bearing on trade values)

I get the feeling Reimer is a better dressing room guy, more likely to mentor and help and that's more important over the next 2-3 years than actual wins...

 

[bustaheims]

He feels a bit like Toskala 2.0, only the XL model.

No, he's much better than Toskala. Bernier is a reasonable starting goalie - not one you can rely on to steal you a bunch of games, but one that will usually play well enough to keep it competitive. He'd be in the bottom half of the league's starters, but still be a starter. Toskala was never good enough to be a full-time starting goalie. Toskala behind the Leafs' defence over the past couple years would have allowed like 400 goals a season.

 

[Bullfrog]

I'm feeling really sick today.






I think I got the Bibeaunic plague.