Another Euro Goalie to Consider

If the Maple Leafs have an area on their depth chart that's particularly thin, it would be in net.

At the NHL level, they have J.S. Giguere and rookie Jonas Gustavsson, and with the Marlies they have James Reimer. That's about it, and given the team's problems in net this season, Giguere's age and hefty contract and Gustavsson's inconsistency as he learns the NHL game, it would make sense that they will try to add one or more other netminders to the organization before next season.

One possibility is Finnish free agent Jussi Rynnas (pictured), a Gustavssson-like goalie who is 6-foot-5 and plays for Assat Pori. Rynnas, 22, is more raw at this point than Gustavsson was, but he might be a player the Leafs could develop, and Finnish goalies - Miikka Kiprusoff, Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask - have had increasing success in the NHL in recent seasons.

Detroit is one club that has already expressed interest in Rynnas, and the Leafs are kicking the tires on him, as well. The challenge for NHL teams, say veteran observers of the Finnish elite league, is to evaluate players in Finland at a time when the quality of the top league has deteriorated significantly. A dominant player in Finland, it's suggested, is not what it used to be.

Another possible free agent goalie for the Leafs could be Cornell's Ben Scrivens, a 23-year-old, 6-foot-2 netminder from Spruce Grove, Alberta.

Comments

[other mark]

You could probably walk into a crowded room swinging a cat over your head and hit an early 20s-something goaltender prospect. The Leafs problem doesn't seem to be finding them; it's properly evaluating their potential and keeping/developing ones that show it.

[Kevin]

Finnish goalies? Don't forget one Vesa Toskala, better known as The Finnish Sieve.

[David Hutchison]

Scrivens is finishing up one of the finest NCAA careers ever. I'd love to know why there isn't a lineup for his services.
If an 18yr old has his numbers he would go #1 overall. But he's 22 so that make a big difference?

[Derp]

Mr. Hutchison, you hit the nail on the head. You must also keep in mind that if an 18 yearold had those numbers, he is either extremely mature or is a fluke. With a 22 yearold, you assume that indeed he will be more mature. Also for an 18 yearold for finish a NCAA career at 18, with a full slate of numbers he'd have to have finished high-school at 14 and been accepted, which would imply he's some addonis with the skills of a god and the brain of one too.

[A. Kralik]

It used to be that if you wanted a promising goaltender go to the Quebec leagues. Lets see now, Patrick Roy, Felix Potvin, Martin Broduer, J.S Giguere, Roberto Louongo, the list goes on. What the hell gives with teams going to Europe to look for a goaltender. The monster doesn't come close to lets say a Felix Potvin who arrived in the spring of 93 and played spectacularly through the playoffs. Just who the hell are these guys trying to kid? You won't find a larger group to select from because hockey is a way of life to these Quebecers, it is an institution. You cannot teach that to foreign goalies. They simply don't know what its all about. Keep looking Mr. Burke and all the other GMs.

[Matt]

Leafs had Rask,Raycroft,Gerber,Clemmonsen, Pogge, the Bulin Wall, now they are goin to Euros. Can't figure out those guys out down at Union Station. They need guys who can put the darn puck in the net now.

[john from austin]

Question is, will the Leafs (and Leafs nation) ever be patient enough to allow a goalie to develop before they just trade him away for past prime big contracts? See Tuuka Rask?

[Pat Ribble]

John from Austin, Tuukka Rask was so quickly traded away by JFJ for blown-out tires that Rask had nary a chance to even be one of those classic Leafian undeveloped prospects. In that instance, Rask was a recent draftee bartered at way below par value by a flailing and floundering GM looking for a quick fix--JFJ denied the fans an opportunity to actually be impatient with Rask. Anyway, like others, I'm not sure about Rynnas; he might be worth a gamble if the cost is low. I'm still getting over the fact that the scoring leader in Sweden gets the Yellow Helmet. Well done, mini-Mats.

[other mark]

Thank you Pat Ribble and John from Austin for proving my point. There are a ton of prospects out there (and some in Europe I'm sure)... but the Leafs have a dismal record of retaining/developing goal tenders, regardless of who they select. I can't recall a goal tender since Potvin that stuck around long enough to be developed, promoted to the big club and stuck around. Meanwhile, the Habs by contrast just keep churning out quality goal tenders who can play at the NHL level. Burke and friends should spend more time figuring out what's going wrong down on the farm then worrying about the actual draft/college or Euro prospect they pick up.

[Kevin]

Impressive list, Matt. Problem is, the only "proven" goalie on that list is the Bulin Wall, who never did play for, or even beolong to, the Leafs. You weren't thinking of Kolzig instead were you? He never played here either, but at least the team had is rights for a few months.

[Tim]

There's alot going on right now, but lets find a way to get Pat Burns in the HOF while he can still appreciate it!!

[Bill Turner]

I'm a Leaf fan, I still think someday before I die they will make the playoffs. We don't need another gonna be great goalie. There are a lot of goalies that are good.
What we need is less sports writers trying to run the team and new ownership.