Another Goalie Prospect On The Way

It won't be official for another day or so, but the Maple Leafs have successfully courted Finnish free agent goalie Jussi Rynnas.

Rynnas' agent, St. Louis-based Allain Roy, said today he has notified the other teams pursuing Rynnas - Dallas, Edmonton, Detroit, among others - that he will be negotiating a deal with the Leafs, likely to be finalized in the next 48 hours.

A big part of the Leaf pitch was to offer the 22-year-old Rynnas the opportunity to work with goalie coach Francois Allaire.

"It's a chance to play for a goalie coach who loves working with goalies who play his style," said Roy today.

 Like Swede Jonas Gustavsson, who the Leafs signed as a free agent last summer, Rynnas is a tall drink of water, about 6-foot-5. Some teams were leary about him because of the relative weakness of the Finnish elite league, but the Leafs saw him as the best goalie prospect on the market and, like Gustavsson, a late bloomer who only became a starter this year for Assat Pori.

Gustavsson just signed for two years, while veteran J.S. Giguere will be going into the last year of his contract next season. That would allow Rynnas to twin with James Reimer with the Marlies next season, and then, theoretically, compete with Gustavsson for the starting job in 2011-12.

Terms of the deal aren't clear, but because of Rynnas' age it will be a three-year entry level pact.

Comments

[Don]

@Willie.....Let's plan the parade???? Good one. I haven't heard that one before.

[Gord]

Nothing wrong with having another goalie prospect.

To all the haters, you must have no life if you're replying to Leaf articles and you're not a fan.

Oh, and to those that keep saying the Leafs will never win as long as the fans keep supporting them...it's the lamest opinion I've heard of. Pre-salary cap they were always in the top 5 of salaries in the league, and in the "new NHL", they spend to the cap every year. What is the reasoning behind you saying they don't want to win?? Oh wait, there is none. It's what you hear from other people and think it's true. Get an informed opinion.

[thornintheside]

I'd give Brian Burke a hug if I could. He got rid of all the dead wood, has signed some good players, some not so good players, but mostly I'd give him an A- for making over the team. I think with a few skill players and solid goaltending they will move into a playoff team next year. If some prospects like Kadri pan out, we realistically can see them competing in 2-3 years time. I can't see Kaberle staying past this summer and hopefully next year we'll be the team with a few #1 draft picks like Boston this year.

[Drew]

I'd love to see the leafs try and pick up Raffi Torres.

[Bob]

What a farce; another toy for the denizens of never never land to crap on if he doesn't win the vezina in 2 games.
This management, fanbase ,ownership is constantly eating kids in weeks upon arrival and does nothing to show present players that this city isn't a ZOO sportswise.
Bower was terrible for years; BUT they showed patience and built a team around him = 3 STANLEY CUPS.
I thought players were dissed back then but this fans and ownership have taken this to another level.

[bill d]

These hail Mary pickups by Burke are exactly the type of moves you would expect from someone who has traded away the future. So far Bozak is the only player to actually pay off. It is less than exciting to see the team you cheer for load up with questionable hockey players and expect great things of them.