The Big Disconnect

 

This thing is now a lot bigger than Jonas Gustavsson's gigantic error Tuesday night in overtime, or his future as a Maple Leaf.

That's because the Leafs are now in the midst of a full-blown goalie crisis that isn't likely to blow over by Monday's trade deadline if nothing is done.

While Leaf management continues to kick the tires on Rick Nash - and continues to be stunned by the demands of the Blue Jackets, which are believed to start with Jake Gardiner plus at least two of the team's best Marlie prospects - the Leafs are also now officially scouring the goalie market looking at all options that may be available. That, of course, might mean that assets used to pitch for Nash might be needed to buy a netminder.

Really, the club has only two choices.

Hand the crease to James Reimer and hope he can recalibrate, regain his confidence and summon the beast that was so good down the stretch last year, albeit in games that weren't pressure-packed like they are now.

Or get somebody else as a short-term solution to stop the bleeding. Nikolai Khabibulin, Evgeni Nabokov, whoever. Khabibulin has another year left at $3.75 million, a paycheque the Leafs would find unappealing but may have to look at. There's no interest in Marty Turco, currently blocking shots in Europe. L.A.'s Jonathan Bernier is as much an unknown as an NHL starter as the Leaf goaies. Josh Harding in Minnesota is a possible option, but he's never been a starter. No chance that if the Sabres decide to trade Ryan Miller either now or later it will be to a divisional rival. Jaroslav Halak has been a starter, but he has two years left at $3.75 million and it seems unlikely St. Louis would let him go with that team gearing up for a possible spring run.

What about the Marlies? Interestingly, that's a very good defensive team being coached by Dallas Eakins with 133 goals allowed in 54 games. Only one AHL team has allowed fewer.

But the Marlie goalies haven't been anything better than good. Ben Scrivens has been up and down ever since returning from the Leafs, Mark Owuya is just a raw rookie and Jussi (The Bus) Rynnas is currently trying to get his game together with the ECHL Reading Royals.

So no answers at Ricoh.

While the goalie question burns, there's a sense the Leafs have not quite ruled out being a bidder for Nash, but almost. Talks with Columbus haven't progressed at all, and reports around the league suggest Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson is telling teams he can just wait until June to make a deal and doesn't have to move now. 

Indeed, it seems unlikely any team will be willing to pay the cost that Howson is demanding, making it more and more likely Nash will stay put beyond the deadline.

As far as the Leaf goalies, meanwhile, many fingers are being pointed at goaltending coach Francois Allaire, who won a Stanley Cup with Burke and J.S. Giguere in Anaheim, but who has no shortage of critics, most of who criticize his "cookie cutter" approach to goaltending.

To be fair, nobody was criticizing Allaire when Reimer was playing splendidly last season, and certainly Allaire didn't instruct Gustavsson to leave his net and redirect a puck going wide in for the winning New Jersey goal on Tuesday. 

The Allaire approach is less about athleticism and more about percentages, but some criticize it as too rigid. The goalie guru held a rare media conference on Wednesday to try and explain what has happened to the team's netminding.

Allaire's system might work more effectively in Toronto if married with a more defensive team approach. Instead, Wilson is preaching a go-go, run-and-gun style, exposing two inexperienced goalies struggling to master a technique ill-fitted for the type of shots they're facing. Plus, it's all happening in Toronto where the glare of scrutiny can be harsh indeed.

You're not going to get the goalies to change styles, at least not this season. You could play a tighter style, but Wilson and Burke have shown no interest in doing that, although Burke's Cup ring from Anaheim came from a hardnosed, defence-first approach that hasn't been transferred to Toronto.

So the problem isn't just the two goalies, or Allaire, or the team's style of hockey.

Its all of them. Its not a formula for success. Problem is, Burke has married himself to Allaire and Wilson, and even if he wanted to change his goalies now, he may not be able to with the trade deadline on Monday.

 

Comments

[bob]

This is the FIRST time I have ever agreed with you Damien. Wow, I guess there is a first time for everything! Its really too bad Reimer was so badly hurt in that game against Montreal. I'm not sure he'll ever recover from that hit.

[paul]

rebuild again? Stop investing your emotion and money in this team.

[Scott]

So you let in one bad goal and your career in a city is done? C'mon Damon lets get back to reality.

I'm sure we are all wishing the Leafs would have signed Ilya Bryzgalov in the summer so we could have mediocre goaltending while spending millions more.

[drake richards]

A predictable Damien Cox alarmist reaction.

Run everyone! The sky is falling!!!

[Ohio Leaf Fan]

Well said Damien...right on the money.

[Adam L]

As nick kypreos told you last night... "Shut up". For someone who hasn't played a single game in the NHL, you sure do have some really stupid opinions. Yes, Gustovsson let in a few bad goals last night. Yes, he should be the backup goalie from here on in. But the way you write your article is just pure arrogance. I'd rather the Monster be a backup goalie then to have you write another article for a reputable paper.

[Oliver]

this goaltending issue stems from Francois Allaire. he's turned the goaltending into Lacross-like mannequins. you cant teach someone to play like Patrick Roy. thats like trying to teach someone to play like Gretzky.

The leaf goaltenders have gotten worse...they have lost all reflex actions, and solely focus on pure positioning. they are stiff as a board out there. The scouting report has been out for a long time on Allaire goalies. Giguere only had 2 good seasons on a stacked team, and everyone figured out how to shoot on him.

While The Monster and Reimer take the brunt of the blame...you must look at the coaching behind these guys and how they have been trained to play a style NEITHER player is naturally suited for.

[Joe Scott]

On the list of goaltenders that I saw, there was no mention of Jaroslav Halak or Jonathan Bernier, two goaltenders who may be squeezed out of the crease by their partners, and both guys who have the ability to be a number one goalie. Going for Rick Nash right now is like buying a rolls royce when you haven't paid the heating bill, a goaltender is paramount importance for this team. Those are the two goalies the Leafs should be targeting, not a rental player who'll give half a year to maybe a year in the net.
For now, I really think they need to give the crease back to Reimer for the rest of the year, and if he can't do it, swing a draft-day deal or go for a UFA. But you're absolutely right, Gustavsson is done in Hogtown.

[Stephen]

I haven't seen this anywhere else, but the Monster allowed a very similar goal in overtime against the Senators earlier in the season. A puck from the point going wide, deflecting in. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the goal last night - de ja vu all over again.

[Sam]

I don't agree with Damien often, but he hit the nail right on the head. The problem is Francois Allaire. Gustavsson and Reimer started off great, but it seems the more they're exposed to Allaire's coaching the worse they get. Gustavsson has an unorthodox style and it was what he was use to, ever since converting him to the butterfly, it has been disastrous. The goalie coach needs to change.

[The Obknox]

The big disconnect is in Cox's head. What a terrible article! To suggest that someone is done because of a bad goal is irresponsible and needlessly harsh. It was a bad mistake by a goalie, in the same general area of severity as a bad giveaway by a defenseman or a forward missing a wide-open net. Hyperdramatic journalism at its worst. Maybe it's time to give some rights to the teams as to who gets to write about them.

[Gary A]

i wouldn't say Jonas is done not yet anyways...both goalies would be served if they had guys in front of them who knew how to play defense in there own zone..Wilson is the problem and i wouldn't give up on any player yet until you've made a coaching change. then lets see how these guys play in a new system before we start letting guys go.

you watch Jonas will get picked up in the summer by someone and go on to have a nice career

just one mans opinion here

[bill]

Poor Jonas. The kid has had his ups and downs this season and certainly is lacking consistency, but he has been the better goalie between him and Reimer all season long. I know he lets in soft goals more than Reimer it seems, but he also seems to be making gave-saving stops more frequently as well.

I don't understand why he is the huge scapegoat today given...seems very unfair.

That said, something does need to be done about the goalie situation if this team is going to get swept in the 1st round of the playoffs.

(I wonder what Schneider would cost? Nabokov?)

[JMAC]

Isn't it time to really define what the real problem is with Wilson. That is, for some reason he has to ruin the value of players for trivial reasons. How shallow is this guy?

Reimer was playing great at the beginning of the year until his injury and (here's the crunch), his mother's statements about concussion. Since then, he has had no support from the coach.

Cody Franson was good enough for Nashville, but couldn't make the Leafs until he stopped speaking intelligently.
Tim Connolly had the audacity to tell the media that he was hurt in training camp and has been supplanted by TYLER BOZAK!!!

The only question is "Who's Next?". How could you ever trade one of these guys?

BTW - Was at the game last night and I would have pulled Gustavson after 5 minutes. Twice in that time he didn't even know where the puck was. He obvioulsy didn't have it last night.

[TincupCanuck]

I have been saying this for a year. The Leafs offensive system will never win. I was laughed at when i suggested they fire Wilson and hire Hitchcock.

Burkie had this to say when he was hired:

"We are in the entertainment business".

Which is pretty sad. He should have said he was in the Charlie Sheen business -- WINNING. I think the fans would be happy with a defensive style like the Blues and the Bruins and the Red Wins...if it meant winning.

[Faraz]

I think Damian's reaction is fair - I was shocked like the 16000 in attendance at the ACC. However, give credit to Jonas - he has made stellar saves, despite the odd bad goal or two - Reimer has been mediocre since the concussion and really it is a bad situation for TML. What needs to happen to solve this is as follows:
1. The Leafs can no longer afford Francois to be their coach
2. Bad decision by Burke to get Francois here...he should have known that both Reimer and Gustavsson play unorthodox
3. Good or Bad - Jonas should get the nod from here on in ( I know it sounds crazy but really we have no choice, there is no good trade prospect out there)
4. Reimer should only play backup to Jonas unless Jonas is hurt.
5. Strip Dion from the C he wears (because of his own inconsistent defensive play night in and night out)
6. Fire Ron Wilson and Burke
....maybe we can get somewhere after this.

[oilgasfiah]

The opinion in this column was a bit too elbow-jerk. Reimer had let in softy after softy without a peep from the media or Wilson. Gusto's new pads clearly caught that puck and spooned it back through the five-hole, so he'll be aware from now on of his equipment problem, and I can see him ditching the pads. Still, he has not been treated right for the run that put the Leafs in playoff contention. He was stellar until Reimer was inexplicably thrust in for several weeks despite playing poorly, with his shutouts clearly team shutouts and not goalie shutouts. Gusto --- not Reimer --- has brought the Leafs close this year. Put him back in immediately and find out why he's Team Sweden's No. 1 ahead of Lundquist. Put him back in for his work this year, and stop being so hooked on names that rhyme.

[Keele Bromberg]

This is disgusting. Yes, Jonas had a terrible game. Yes, he allowed in three goals which should have been stopped. Yes, he allowed in the gamw-winner from the point which was going wide,

But Mr. Cox's melodramatics is, like a fellow commenter said, just pure arrogance. Cox has never played a single game in the league and goes on criticizing others to the point where," Let's get The Monster out of here."

Be realistic,

Stupid.

[JChan]

Quite frankly, I think this article just shows that you're extremely bias. Gustavsson has gotten no support from either the coach nor the team. How do you expect to have a confident goalie when he knows that his peers don't believe in him? Cox's article is absolutely unnecessary. If it wasn't for The Monster, the Leafs wouldn't have even gotten a point yesterday.

[joejacobs]

While I tend to agree that your criticism is harsh Damien, I also think you are right. Despite the fact that Gus has had a few shutouts and can often play very well, he and Reimer do not provide the Leafs with the kind of elite goaltending needed in the NHL to have more than average success. The Leafs need their next Belfour or Joseph, and they don't have that now. Rick Nash is not the answer, nor is the 'run and gun' offence, when teams like Detroit, New Jersey, Boston, Vancouver and the Rangers have elite players who also play strong defensively. After too many years, Ron Wilson and Brian Burke have not shown that they are able to create a team that appears in any way to be heading in the direction of the elite teams. This experiment has failed. It's time for new management and coaching. Arghhh...another rebuild.

[adam]

Funny how the goalies are to blame for most of you. Have any of you watched this team the last month? They are playing horrible in front of these two, each of whom is so worried about not stopping the puck, that they're not stopping the puck. "win and you're in" came from the coach, so maybe we shouold blame the coach here. I say he gets fired after the season, though I'd like to see it right now, I bet the team would rally and play better. As for the goalies, Reimer is still the guy, everyone knows young goalies always fall back in year two, but this is a quality kid with a good mature attitude who works hard. He'll get it back, play him the rest of the way and let him get his confidence back.

[LongSuffering Leaf Fan]

I just think The Monster needs glasses.

[moe green]

Cox is just telling the truth. Gustavsson looked bad last night - and it's not the first time. Thing is, Ron Wilson is the goalie confidence killer. As soon as Reimer returned from injury, and after Gustavsson seemed to be getting his game together - Gus was gone and Reim was in. That's not the way you handle goalies. That, and it wmacks of entitlement or as it's known around these parts: Blue and White disease.

[Jonathan, Montreal]

You definitely hit the nail on the head stating that both goalies are playing with a complete lack of confidence.
But it certainly doesn't help that Wilson refuses to adapt but rather insists on playing a run-and-gun, trading chances type of game (with a punchless offence to boot). It at least appears that he realizes his goalies need a boost as he refuses to call them out. I guess that counts for something...

[Matt B]

Agreed, Damien. I'm surprised by anyone willing to object to this and defend the Monster. This one soft goal is part of a pattern. A goalie can let in a goal like that once a year, if that. There is no way it should happen 3 or 4 or 5 times a year, like it has with the Monster.

Confidence starts from the net outward. If you know yoru goalie is capable of making those kind of mistakes you will start to make bad mistakes too.