Goaltending conundrum

[BlueWhiteBlood]

From my pov, I'd be totally comfortable going with Gustavsson and Reimer/Scrivens with another season of experience/development/change with the team. From Burke's, I dunno, doesn't seem likely.

If the team's going to go that route, I'd be happier with a Reimer/Scrivens tandem and no Gustavsson. At this point, I think it's pretty clear what Gustavsson brings, and I'd rather give the two younger guys the opportunity to take the reins.

I think I'm firmly in that camp also, provided Burke doesn't land Luongo in trade. If he puts all the cards on the table and lands Luongo, I think he will go balls out and do some major trading to make the Leafs a lot better. Of course he'll have to be confident that he can make the trades that will have to come with that move IMO.

 

[Strangelove]

From my pov, I'd be totally comfortable going with Gustavsson and Reimer/Scrivens with another season of experience/development/change with the team. From Burke's, I dunno, doesn't seem likely.

If the team's going to go that route, I'd be happier with a Reimer/Scrivens tandem and no Gustavsson. At this point, I think it's pretty clear what Gustavsson brings, and I'd rather give the two younger guys the opportunity to take the reins.

Give Reimer an opportunity to take the reins?  You mean exactly like they did last year?

The only person who had a period of consistency this past year was Gus.  I'm not at all comfortable with the notion of going into the coming season with any of our current goalies, but Reimer has no business getting an opportunity in place of anyone else, Gus included.

 

[We_Miss_Sundin]

Im pretty confident the Leafs will not be interested in re-signing Gus.. he is a UFA and is free to go.

 

[Tigger]

Im pretty confident the Leafs will not be interested in re-signing Gus.. he is a UFA and is free to go.

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

 

[Zee]

Im pretty confident the Leafs will not be interested in re-signing Gus.. he is a UFA and is free to go.

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

Justin Pogge is a free agent!  Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Redleaf]

Im pretty confident the Leafs will not be interested in re-signing Gus.. he is a UFA and is free to go.

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

I'm starting to really believe that Luongo may be the best option moving forward. You've got 2a and 2b in Reimer and Scrivens. If a guy like Luongo moves here those 2 fight for the back up job. Perhaps one of them battles Luongo for the starting job. To me that's the best case scenario. Burke can always trade one of the back ups for a good return should they play well enough to challenge for number one. At which point in moves 2b to back up. Unless all 3 suck, what's the worst case scenario? We're stuck with a $6m back up goalie because one of the other guys playing so well? I realize there's more to it contractually speaking, but that doesn't sound like a desperate situation to me.

 

[Zee]

Im pretty confident the Leafs will not be interested in re-signing Gus.. he is a UFA and is free to go.

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

I starting to really believe that Luongo may be the best option moving forward. You've got 2a and 2b in Reimer and Scrivens. If a guy like Luongo moves here those 2 fight for the back up job. Perhaps one of them battles Luongo for the starting job. To me that's the best case scenario. Burke can always trade one of the back ups for a good return should they play well enough to challenge for number one. At which point in moves 2b to back up. Unless all 3 suck, what's the worst case scenario? We're stuck with a $6m back up goalie because one of the kids is playing so good?

I have to agree that Luongo is the best option right now.  People love to rip him, but his stats (regular season anyway) have always been great.  This is the type of goalie that gets you into the playoffs and allows your team to play with confidence because they feel he can make the saves when needed.  Whether he ever gets over the playoff hump is another question, but right now the Leafs need to MAKE the playoffs first, and then worry about Luongo's mental makeup for that role.

 

[bustaheims]

Give Reimer an opportunity to take the reins?  You mean exactly like they did last year?

Well, sure, if you count 5 games before suffering a serious head injury and playing later in the season without really having recovered from it giving him a real opportunity to take the reins.

 

[Corn Flake]

I'm starting to really believe that Luongo may be the best option moving forward. You've got 2a and 2b in Reimer and Scrivens. If a guy like Luongo moves here those 2 fight for the back up job. Perhaps one of them battles Luongo for the starting job. To me that's the best case scenario. Burke can always trade one of the back ups for a good return should they play well enough to challenge for number one. At which point in moves 2b to back up. Unless all 3 suck, what's the worst case scenario? We're stuck with a $6m back up goalie because one of the BU's playing so well? I realize there's more to it contractually speaking, but that doesn't sound like a desperate situation to me.

We are quickly being converted here one by one.

As Nik pointed out, last year he appeared in the 7th game of the finals, was in the discussion for the Conn Smythe and was a Vezina finalist.  Somewhat ironic he lost all 3 of those things to Tim Thomas.

If Burke ended up with Luongo, Reimer AND Scrivens and none of the 3 could make it work??? .... then there is a curse beyond all human ability to overcome, and I think at that point I give up.

 

[bustaheims]

Unless Reimer has a complete turnaround season, and/or Scrivens shows consistency in the big league, the Leafs will most likely be in the same situation they were last year. Which is to say they will be ok until the pressure mounts , or the injury bug bites, then they will free fall down the standings at the worst possible time again.

Well, that's sort of the point. If the team can't upgrade other areas of the team, then upgrading the goaltending is like putting lipstick on a pig. At that point, you might as well just run with what you have and hope for the best, and, really, most likely end up with some valuable trading chips at the deadline, another high draft pick to build around and a nice chunk of cap space to play with for what's shaping up to be the best UFA class in NHL history in the summer of 2013.

 

[Zee]

Unless Reimer has a complete turnaround season, and/or Scrivens shows consistency in the big league, the Leafs will most likely be in the same situation they were last year. Which is to say they will be ok until the pressure mounts , or the injury bug bites, then they will free fall down the standings at the worst possible time again.

Well, that's sort of the point. If the team can't upgrade other areas of the team, then upgrading the goaltending is like putting lipstick on a pig. At that point, you might as well just run with what you have and hope for the best, and, really, most likely end up with some valuable trading chips at the deadline, another high draft pick to build around and a nice chunk of cap space to play with for what's shaping up to be the best UFA class in NHL history in the summer of 2013.

I don't see how shortcomings in other areas are a bigger hole than goaltending?  When Reimer was playing well and was heralded as the saviour in net, the Leafs sure looked like a good team.  There were still problems in other areas, but the solid goaltending masked them and got the team wins.  In my opinion, goaltending is the most important position there is, and can make even a bad team look good.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't see how shortcomings in other areas are a bigger hole than goaltending?  When Reimer was playing well and was heralded as the saviour in net, the Leafs sure looked like a good team.  There were still problems in other areas, but the solid goaltending masked them and got the team wins. In my opinion, goaltending is the most important position there is, and can make even a bad team look good.

And, that's the issue right there. I don't want the Leafs to be a bad team that looks good because of goaltending - hence, putting lipstick on a pig. If the Leafs want to be a real Cup contender, they need to be a team that looks good regardless of goaltending, and, then, have the goaltending put them over the top. A true 1st line centre, a real 3rd line, a few more players with defensive awareness . . . these are the things I want to see the Leafs deal with first and foremost, because they will make the Leafs a good team regardless of who is in net.

It's not really a matter of them being bigger holes, but rather, things that get overlooked when that hole is plugged and that disregard tends to keep teams from reaching the next level.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

I'd say a Scrivens/Reimer tandem is much more likely than Gustavsson being retained, though, neither are the likely outcome of the offseason.

 

[Zee]

I don't see how shortcomings in other areas are a bigger hole than goaltending?  When Reimer was playing well and was heralded as the saviour in net, the Leafs sure looked like a good team.  There were still problems in other areas, but the solid goaltending masked them and got the team wins. In my opinion, goaltending is the most important position there is, and can make even a bad team look good.

And, that's the issue right there. I don't want the Leafs to be a bad team that looks good because of goaltending - hence, putting lipstick on a pig. If the Leafs want to be a real Cup contender, they need to be a team that looks good regardless of goaltending, and, then, have the goaltending put them over the top. A true 1st line centre, a real 3rd line, a few more players with defensive awareness . . . these are the things I want to see the Leafs deal with first and foremost, because they will make the Leafs a good team regardless of who is in net.

I have to disagree.  If you make your team look better on ice with wins, it puts you in a better position to make moves and trade players for other assets.  So while having an elite goalie stealing wins for the team might mask other areas, as long as the management is aware of what they still need to upgrade there is no issue.  When your team is losing game after game it makes it far more difficult for the GM to make fair deals.  I'm all for having a goalie "mask" deficiencies and give the Leafs more wins.  If we can make the playoffs because of stellar goaltending so be it. 

 

[Tigger]

I don't like the odds of Jonas re-signing in Toronto either but I don't see a better ufa goaltender out there, fwiw, and I'm even more positive the Leafs won't go with Reimer and Scrivens alone.

I'd say a Scrivens/Reimer tandem is much more likely than Gustavsson being retained, though, neither are the likely outcome of the offseason.

There's also the chance that Reimer is the guy moved and they retain a pretty good back up in Jonas ( presuming a number one is coming in ). The title of the thread is ringing true to me, this is a pretty strange year to try and fix the position.

 

[bustaheims]

There's also the chance that Reimer is the guy moved and they retain a pretty good back up in Jonas ( presuming a number one is coming in ). The title of the thread is ringing true to me, this is a pretty strange year to try and fix the position.

If they move Reimer, it will likely be for in a deal for a starting goalie, so, Gustavsson would still be out of the picture. His time in Toronto is as good as done. If the Leafs don't trade for a starter, they'll add an experienced veteran backup, not retain Gustavsson.

 

[Deebo]

I'm sick of seeing other teams who are willing to take on or sign long term deals make the finals or go deep in the playoffs.

There is always a way out of a contract, Gomez didn't just get moved, they got good value for him.

We can sit here and hope we find a goalie somewhere else, or we can get an elite goalie that should solidify the position for at least 5 years.

In 5 years, we don't know what he will look like or what the cap will be.

If the cap is 75 mil, having a 5 million dollar backup might not be that bad. He could retire, the AHL option could still exist. But to me, the notion of elite goaltending for 5+ years is too enticing.

 

[Tigger]

There's also the chance that Reimer is the guy moved and they retain a pretty good back up in Jonas ( presuming a number one is coming in ). The title of the thread is ringing true to me, this is a pretty strange year to try and fix the position.

If they move Reimer, it will likely be for in a deal for a starting goalie, so, Gustavsson would still be out of the picture. His time in Toronto is as good as done. If the Leafs don't trade for a starter, they'll add an experienced veteran backup, not retain Gustavsson.

Why would Jonas be out of the picture in a back up role?

Personally I'd rather they retain Jonas than acquire most any vet back up but I'm probably in the minority there and it's even more likely Burke will go a different way.

 

[bustaheims]

Why would Jonas be out of the picture in a back up role?

Because, the reality of the situation is that we're either looking at Reimer/Scrivens as the back up to an established starter or Reimer/Scrivens the starter with a more proven, consistent back up brought in. Gustavsson doesn't fit into either of those categories.

 

[Bonsixx]

There's also the chance that Reimer is the guy moved and they retain a pretty good back up in Jonas ( presuming a number one is coming in ). The title of the thread is ringing true to me, this is a pretty strange year to try and fix the position.

If they move Reimer, it will likely be for in a deal for a starting goalie, so, Gustavsson would still be out of the picture. His time in Toronto is as good as done. If the Leafs don't trade for a starter, they'll add an experienced veteran backup, not retain Gustavsson.

Why would Jonas be out of the picture in a back up role?

Because he blows?