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

[John Doucette]

In the divine comedy which is Toronto and it's Leafs, it is a tossup as to which character is the maddest of the Mad-Hatter's. Is it the media sports-sycophants like this scribbler or the numero-un legend in his own mind, the Burquista?

I suspect it it a tie, an overtime, and both winning in a shootout.

[James Armstrong]

Damien, would your bosses sack you for one bad mistake in an article? I hope not. Mistakes happen, give the guy a break. If the Leafs move him it should be for a better reason than one bad mistake. and remember, the defense on this team is terrible. the game against the Devils would have been over in regulation if not for Jonas.

[jamie1carlisle]

Damien, you are so right. If the Leafs are building from the back end out why have they not invested i.e. draft a first rate goalie. It's the most important position on the team and any club can only succeed as far as the goalie can take them in the playoffs. They spent nearly 5 million on Connelly which they could have put towards a goalie. Both goalies go down all the time and way too early. Neither can handle the puck. I've seen goalies in AAA who handle the puck better. Burke should realize that he made a big mistake not investing in a true number one goalie and thought he could do on the cheap. Reimer only played 35 games and shooters figured him out very quickly - down on his kness shrugging his shoulders too far in the net and in the top shelf. Montreal would be nowhere with out Price. They could have used one of their first rounders to select a quality goalie instead they add another defenceman. Even if Toronto does make the playoffs which I don't believe they will they will get smoked four straight. Love the Leafs but as a former goalie they are painful to watch and I hope Burke and management realize that the team is going nowhere with out a true number one. Kinda feel sorry for Wilson because he's a bright guy and knows that the goaltending is killing the team no matter how hard they try to win.

[Ken Chevis]

We old guys are supposed to have memory issues. But I do recall all of the hype surrounding the courting and marriage of "The Monster" to the TMLs. I recall that "Burkie" (give me a break) chased him all around Sweden before he could pop the question. Hockey genius, eh? As to the list presented by Faraz, how about adding 5b and trading the piece of swiss cheese that masquerades as a Leaf defenceman.

[Lewis McClain]

It is most definately the defence in front of these guys that is the problem. And it is not a skill problem it is a system problem. Come on Wilson, and get it changed. You can play golf in July. Be patient.

[Musclehead]

Damien, your last paragraphs hit the nail on the head. Figure it out, there is much more than simply goaltending that has issues. The fact is that Wilson’s system is not conducive to winning. Once Burke realizes that then maybe we won’t be 3rd highest team in goals allowed. When you give up prime real-estate to NHL shooters time and time again, you have to figure you’ll end up on the wrong side of the score more than not!

[Sensi-Bill]

"Maybe it's time to give some rights to the teams as to who gets to write about them." OMG! Only in Toronto would a hockey fan be as dumb and as arrogant as to suggest something like this. And I thought I was done being surprised by Leafs Nation. Wait a minute. By any chance is Nick Kypreos's screen name "The Obknox"?

[Other Jussi]

I totally agree with the Damien and with commentor "Oliver"
As living in Pori, the hometown of Jussi Rynnas, I've heard these parallel stories from sources nearby Jussi's ex-coach. Jussi has been, especially at the start of his contract, a bit amazed with the way of coaching. He has been forced to learn something totally different than what has earned him the NHL-contract. That just doesn't sound logical.

[Alex N.]

Leafs will never have a consistent goaltending if they only keep changing goalies and not those behind this mess. Leafs will have a new goalies every two years, who is 'the answer' for all problems for first 4 months and in ruins after that. Goaltending is a matter of confidence and no one is better at wrecking their goalies' self-confidence than Leafs. I read an interesting Vesa Toskala article last fall and couldn't be less surprised that Leafs is again in goaltending crises.

[clear headed]

Funny that Damien is picking Reimer over Gus.

Reimer was pulled for 3 of his last 5 starts. Reimer has a lower save % and a higher GAA than Gustavsson. Gustavsson saved the season, as Burke said. Don't think that Reimer has done the same this season - last season there was nothing to save, we didn't make it into the playoffs.

Look at the facts before writing your stupid hyperventilating articles.

Gus isn't playing well, no doubt about it. But as a whole he's still better than Reims. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how soft a goal is. It matters how many goals go in.

He was playing well until the OTL in Pittsburgh -- coincidentally the day that the media managed to get their way with Wilson after their weeks of baying for Gustavsson's blood and crying to get Reims back in.

Get your facts together and think, Damien. Stop your hyperventilating. Gus should stay in goal for the rest of the year - as we saw in the winter, he plays well when people put confidence in him for a stretch of games.

Unfortunately we've got people like Damien in the media, who write more than they think.

[Brian Tolton]

The leafs need to get rid of wilson, where is there a coach in the nhl that has coached for 4 yrs & not made the playoffs.Brian burke will not fire wilson so were are we, bring back pat Quinn I think he was the last coach of the leafs that actually made the made playoffs & did something. We are not going to make the playoffs again washington has been in a terrible slump & after tonight they will be two points ahead of us. since 2004 was the last time we made it to the post season this is awful.Brian