Leafs Have James Reimer No Need For Kiprusoff

It's that time again when trade rumours are flying all around, often it's hard to decipher between which ones are legitimate and which ones are a hoax. The one rumour surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs all season is their need for a veteran goalie and once again with deadline less than 24 hours away a veteran goalie is all everyone in Toronto wants to talk about.

Talks have heated up again after Dave Nonis said he wouldn't rule out adding a veteran goaltender for the playoffs. News broke that the Leafs have been talking with the Calgary Flames about acquiring Miikka Kiprusoff. Here's the kicker, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played just fine and sit 8th and 11th respectively in Save Percentage amongst goalies who have played half their teams games. While James Reimer doesn't have a lot of experience under his belt he's established himself as the Leafs starting goaltender for the future.

Sure Reimer's numbers have been a little shaky this season and he's battled some injuries but he's starting to heat up at the perfect time for the Leafs. In his last 11 games he's 6-1-4 and has posted 2 shutouts (against the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators). What that proves is that James Reimer has been winning hockey games and that's all you can ask for from your goalie. Through his 22 games this season Reimer owns a 13-4-4 record with a .920 S% and a 2.52 Goals Against Average. Even more impressive is his even strength S% of .926 which is amongst the best in the NHL.

By the way the Leafs are tied for 5th in the Eastern Conference and are going to end their playoff drought in large part thanks to their goaltending, whats the issue? Whether you want to admit it or not James Reimer is establishing himself as an NHL starter and he gives the Leafs a bright future.

The major concern for the Leafs brass is the fact that James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have a combined 0 NHL playoff games under their belts. But let's not forget Scrivens led the Toronto Marlies all the way to the Calder Cup Championships and James Reimer was named the most valuable player throughout the ECHL playoffs in 2009. So they do have a little bit of experience playing in high-pressure situations such as the playoffs. Here's a brilliant idea, if you want James Reimer and Ben Scrivens to get some playoff experience, stick with them and let them get that experience!

The next question you need to ask is with acquiring Miikka Kiprusoff are the Leafs now favorites or contenders to win the Cup and the answer to that is no. With his poor attitude, threatening to nullify all trades by not showing up and his weak play this season, is he really that much of an upgrade over James Reimer?

By bringing in a veteran goaltender with playoff experience you're only slowing down James Reimer's development and not allowing him the experience you're upset at him for not having. What happens when you bring in that veteran goalie for the playoffs and then he leaves next season- you're right back in the same boat with two goalies with no playoff experience. Also if you think the Leafs goalies are inexperienced take a look at their blue line and then we'll talk inexperienced.

Bringing in an experienced veteran like Kiprusoff or Roberto Luongo would have huge ramifications for the Leafs in the future and would likely end Ben Scrivens' days as a Leaf, not only that but it could ruin James Reimer's confidence. Reimer admitted today during practice that all this trade talk about bringing in a veteran goalie to take over for the playoffs is bothering him, and he has every right to be upset about it. Reimer has been fantastic this season and gotten the Leafs wins all season long, no you're suddenly going to replace him because you don't think he can get the job done?

Now the fact that Leafs want a veteran goalie to come in and mentor Reimer and Scrivens is understandable and I've even said James Reimer could use a veteran mentor. But bringing a guy like Miikka Kiprusoff in as a mentor would be a big mistake! First of all Reimer numbers over the last three season have been better than his mentors. Yes Kiprusoff has playoff experience and a run to the Stanley Cup Finals, but he's been eliminated in the first round in 4 out of 5 playoff appearances. Also at the age of 36, missing the playoffs the last 3 seasons and posting an atrocious .868 S% and 3.64 GAA, there's some debate on whether or not he's past his prime.

The Leafs are going to end their playoff drought and that's great but let's face it they still don't have what it takes to compete with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins of the East. Adding Kiprusoff really doesn't change that fact, so is it worth ruining Reimer's confidence, losing prospects to still possibly getting knocked out in the first round?

The Leafs don't need another goalie, they have two very capable goalies already. Heroes are born in the playoffs- instead of wondering if James Reimer will flop in the playoffs maybe it's time to start wondering if he'll become a star and make a name for himself.

4 Reasons For the Leafs Early Success

On paper the Toronto Maple Leafs don't look like real contenders in the Eastern Conference. They don't have veteran goaltending, their blue line is filled with a bunch of "no names", Nazem Kadri didn't seem capable of making the jump and Tyler Bozak is the first line center. But the great thing about sports is a team on paper means nothing once that team hits the ice and starts playing. 20 games into the 2013 season and the Leafs sit 7th in the Eastern Conference only 3 points out of first and the way they've been playing they can easily make up that ground.

Without Brian Burke at the helm there is less traction surrounding the Leafs and for the first time in years a sense of optimism around the team. Is this the year they make it back into the playoffs? Although it's still early I say yes! So why have the Leafs done so well to start off the year?

1. Randy Carlyle has changed the atmosphere of the team

Although the Leafs aren't in first in the East and no-one outside of Toronto is singing Carlyle's praises just yet, I believe that Carlyle deserves some consideration for the Jack Adams award for coach of the year. How he's managed to turn the Leafs around in less than a year and doing so with a non existent training camp is pretty impressive. Carlyle has managed to turn the Leafs from the joke of the NHL to a team that has a chance to win every night. 

He's gotten rid of the "sense of entitlement" that many if not all the Leafs of the past had. The perfect example of this is when he chose to send Tim Connolly to the Toronto Marlies. Right there in that one simple move Carlyle said to the team that "No one is safe, if you don't perform you will be replaced." Now the Leafs know they have to play, if they don't they'll be moved and you're seeing a motivated Leafs team on the ice who doesn't want to get cut.

Along with getting rid of entitlement he's also protecting players in the media by shouldering some of the blame for when they lose. He's also started an "open door policy" where players who are scratched or un-happy with their ice time can come and talk to him and learn what he wants them to do. By being willing to talk to the players he's earned their respect whether they agree with his decisions or not they respect him.

2. Goaltending

The biggest concern for the Leafs heading into the season was how James Reimer and Ben Scrivens would fair between the pipes considering both are pretty inexperienced at the NHL level. Reimer was coming off a concussion and this would be Scrivens first shot at playing full-time in the NHL. There was lots of speculation the Leafs would go after Roberto Luongo but decided not to in the end and the decision is paying off as Reimer and Scrivens are getting the job done. Even when Reimer went down with a knee injury Scrivens stepped up and has provided the Leafs with solid goaltending, giving them a chance to win every night and being fantastic when needed- that's all you can ask for from a young rookie goalie.

Through 12 games Ben Scrivens has won 6 games, has 2 shutouts and is posting a .928 Save Percentage and a 2.18 Goals Against Average. James Reimer has played 10 games winning 6 and posting a .929 Save Percentage and a 2.31 Goals Against Average. While they may not be winning any Vezina trophies in the near future, Reimer and Scrivens have done their job this season and as a result the Leafs are winning.

3. Marlies Stepping up

A major reason the Leafs have enjoyed such success early on is the play of Nazem Kadri and Matt Frattin who together combine for 27 points. They've broken into the Leafs line up nicely and proven they belong in the NHL. Part of the reason they've enjoyed success together is due to their time with the Marlies during the lockout. They had the added benefit of playing together and playing competitive hockey while their teammates were separated. As the season goes on and once Frattin comes back from injury the two will continue to grow as hockey players and play a bigger role for the Leafs and the success of the team.

Kadri is leading the team in points with 17 (5 goals and 12 assists) and Frattin has a solid 10 points (7 goals and 3 assists) and they both stepped their game up early on when Phil Kessel went goal-less. Also worth noting Frattin has 3 game winning goals, without those 6 points (3 wins) the Leafs would be sitting outside the playoff picture. Mix in Michael Kostka who has played with Dion Phaneuf on the blue line and put up 6 points, the Leafs have a lot to thank Dallas Eakins for.

4. Team Toughness

Leaf fans are tired of hearing about having a tough and truculent team but the Leafs team toughness is a major reason why they've been successful. There's only 1 reason to have players such as Colton Orr and Mike Brown playing regular minutes and that's for toughness- the two frequent fighters both have 55 penalty minutes this season and have been able to spark their team with fights and stand up for their teammates. The Leafs have 345 penalty minutes, which is 2nd most in the NHL, they also lead the league in hits. This is a team that is not easily intimidated- hence Colton Orr fighting John Scott.

For whatever reason Randy Carlyle has gotten the Leafs to play good hockey, they're buying into his system and as a result they're enjoying a 12-8-0 start to the season. For the first time in a decade I have confidence the Leafs have a solid chance of reaching the postseason. Only time will tell if the Leafs can stay the course or will once again fall off the cliff, but right now it's bright skies ahead for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rochester Americans Have Work To Do

On Saturday night I had the fantastic opportunity to watch the Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies square off. Huge thanks to Jordan for the tickets. This was my first live game of the season and I must say I missed watching games live. I've been catching a lot of game on TV but there is nothing that compares to actually being at the game and in the atmosphere! So I thought I would take the opportunity of seeing a game live and not being influenced by commentators to write about things I noticed from the baby Sabres.

The first period started off slow for both teams but the Amerks in particular had some very sloppy defencive play which ultimately stems right through the whole organization. Besides the lack of a number one centre, one of the most glaring holes for the Sabres is on the back end. Ryan Miller is one of the top goalies in the league but he can't do it all alone, he needs help and he hasn't been getting the help he needs. It was evident when watching the first period on Saturday that the defence was weak, thankfully as the game went on they seemed to calm down and were able to defend against the Marlies offence. On a positive note relating to defence, their penalty kill was phenomenal as they took 4 penalties and the Marlies were only able to capitalize on 1. Unfortunately when it counted most in the last 5 minutes up by 1 goal, the defence completely fell apart and the wheels came right off the bus. The next thing Terry Pegula needs to spend money on is some defenceman, either for the Amerks to develop or who are ready to make an impact in the NHL.

On a more positive note it's easy to see that Marcus Foligno is ready to take that next step to the NHL and I wouldn't be surprised if he one day wore the "C" on his chest. His play on Saturday was fantastic and it was near impossible to take your eyes off the big 6 foot 2 forward. He contributed at both ends of the ice with assists on both Amerks goals, he then immediately got on his horse and hustled back on the back-check resulting in him being one of 2 players who were a +1 on the night. When he wasn't setting up goals or helping out on defence he was standing up for his teammates racking up 7 penalty minutes and being involved in a fight after a Amerks player was hit awkwardly into the boards.

But what really strikes me about Foligno is his personality and character something fans got to see briefly during his stint with Sabres. I had the opportunity to meet him after the game and despite the loss he was as pleasant as could be. Some of the players just walked right past the fans waiting for autographs but Marcus stopped and talked to several fans all the while with a huge smile on his face. He's one of those players who "gets" what it takes to be a pro; he works hard, battles hard and always has time for the fans, which is why I think he could wear the "C" one day. I have no doubt in my mind he is ready for a full time spot in the NHL.

Back to the actual game, I think the Amerks need to be reminded that the goal is the mesh between the two red pipes. They fired 38 shots at Ben Scrivens and at least 20 more that missed the net by a mile, not to mention 3 off the crossbar. If the Amerks can work a little more on their aim, they wouldn't have any problems scoring goals.

Another thing I noticed was their lack of ability to match their opponents intensity. During the last 7 minutes of the game when the Amerks were up by a goal they got complacent and started to let the Marlies walk all over them. The Marlies kept the puck in the Amerks zone for several minutes and ran down the defence, the Amerks simply couldn't get the puck off them. Then the Marlies took it to another gear during the last 4 minutes and the Amerks were stuck just watching the Marlies toy with them. Ultimately their lack of intensity and a poor back check effort from Luke Adam resulted in the Marlies tying the game with just over 4 minutes left. For whatever reason the Amerks got a little too comfortable with a 1 goal lead and were unable to match the Marlies intensity.

Another thing I noticed which pains me to mention is the fact Luke Adam in no where near ready a full time spot in the NHL. He was solid on offence but his defencive game needs some serious improvement. He took a penalty which resulted in the Marlies tying the game at 1 and absolutely refused to back-check. The Marlies players could skate right past him and if he couldn't stop them there he'd just skate to the bench forcing an odd man rush against his own defence. His lack of effort on the back-check is exactly why he isn't ready for the NHL. Although Adam was the most noticeable player to bail on the back-check he was not the only Amerk, several of them took their sweet time getting back to help defend. I don't know if it's a conditioning issue but the forwards seemed bagged after a brief stint in the offencive end and had nothing left in the tank to help back-check, especially in the 3rd period.

All in all it was a solid game by the Amerks and always the rivalry between the Sabres and Leafs was just as great with their junior clubs. It was clear by the hard hitting, and fights that neither team was willing to back down. Unfortunately the Amerks lost in OT on a goal by the ever annoying Nazem Kadri to drop to 3-6-1 in their last 10 and 4th in their conference. With a little extra attention to defence and more of focus on back checking they'll be able to fine tune the back end and be able to focus on hitting the net and scoring goals.

What Does Luongo to the Leafs Mean For Current Leaf Goaltenders?

Usually when a sport is in a lockout state all talks about trades are put on hold until the league breaks the lockout, but apparently the never stopping Toronto sports media missed that memo. A report surfaced on twitter last week, that the next time Roberto Luongo plays in the NHL it will be for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The report is initially from SportsNet and hockey reporter John Shannon. While neither team has confirmed the trade, nor can they because of the lockout, fans got pretty excited over the news.

Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis has denied the rumour, stating that talking about trades without a CBA is not allowed, there are as many as 5 teams that have expressed interest in the goaltender and further talks would not continue until a new CBA is worked out. As I said earlier the Toronto sports media loves to cause drama, their motto seems to be; "If there isn't a story, make one up".

Whether the rumour is true or not, and frankly we may never know as there are several variables in a situation like this, the possibility of Bobby Luo ending up in Toronto is pretty good. The Leafs are in desperate need of a veteran goaltender and depending on the new CBA would be one of the few teams that could afford his contract. But the point of this article is not to debate whether Luongo will be a Toronto Maple Leaf but rather to see how his addition to the Leafs would effect the current goaltending situation in Toronto.

James Reimer

Reimer burst onto the Toronto Maple Leafs radar halfway through the 2010 season when then goaltenders Jonas Gustavsson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere began to play poorly and drove the Leafs out of the playoff race. He was then named the starting goaltender for the remainder of the 2010-2011 season playing in 37 total games and becoming an instant fan favourite, many of whom referred to him as the "Leafs saviour". Reimer had a injury riddled 2011-2012 season that saw him get injured twice and as a result his play suffered. He played in just 34 games and finished with a 3.10 Goals Against Average and a .900 Save Percentage.

Reimer is a solid goaltender and has the capability to be a solid number one goaltender, but not with the Leafs. He's still young and inconsistent a recipe for disaster for a goaltender constantly under the spot light in Toronto. Leafs GM Brian Burke told the media that Reimer and Marlies goaltender Ben Scrivens would battle it out in training camp to decide who will become the starting goalie. Interesting that the Leafs won't name Reimer their clear cut number one and a sign that management is looking elsewhere.

Verdict: Reimer Gets Traded- He's a great guy and a solid goaltender. But questions have arrised about his mental toughness and ability to handle the media pressure. As a result Reimer needs to play for a team that is out of the limelight so he can develop his game without the constant criticism.

Ben Scrivens

While there are questions about the young goaltenders attitude there is no question he is a solid netminder. He lead the Toronto Marlies to the Calder Cup finals  and had a fantastic season racking up 22 wins. His play earned him a call up to the Leafs, where he played in 12 games and won 4. With his play in the AHL last season, there is no question he deserves a chance to crack the NHL roster and challenge for the starting job. But is he ready?

Scrivens was an un-drafted prospect who signed with the Leafs in 2o10 because of goaltending coach Francois Allaire. Although Scrivens is older than Reimer (26) he is still very much a rookie who needs more experience at the NHL level. He is off to a rocky start with the Marlies going 1-2 in his 3 games with a .896 Save Percentage.

Verdict: Scrivens Becomes Luongo's Backup- Last season's run to the Calder Cup finals was fantastic to watch and Scrivens showed he can play. The fact the Leafs are willing to let him battle to become the starter shows they have some faith in him and see a future with him between the pipes. He needs more experience and could benefit from the guidance of a veteran goaltender. If there's another media outlet nearly as bad as Toronto it's Vancouver, Luongo would not only help him on the ice but potentially help him with the media as well. Having the veteran in Luongo and the rookie in Scrivens might be the right formula for success for both goaltenders.

Jussi Rynnas

Rynnas is another un-drafted goalie who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent. Rynnas joins the Marlies after playing for Assat of the SM-liiga the top professional league in Finland (2009). After winning a job with Assat out of training camp he went on to post the top Save Percentage (.927) and a solid Goals Against Average of 2.47. His play earned him attention from several NHL teams and he ultimately chose the Leafs, he was sent to the Marlies where he played 30 games in 2010. Last season saw him split time between the Marlies and their ECHL affiliate, but this year he's back with the Marlies and looks to backup Scrivens until he is recalled to the Leafs at the end of the Lockout.

Verdict Rynnas Becomes Marlies Starting Goaltender- With more experience and playing time Rynnas has the possibility and skill to become a solid starting goaltender, if and when the NHL lockout ends he will get that chance with the Marlies.



There you have it folks, my thoughts on the goaltending situation should Luongo indeed end up in Toronto. Of course if he does land in Toronto he will be the new number one goaltender and be faced with the task of bringing the Leafs back to the playoffs. I would not be surprised in the slightest to see the Leafs having a goaltending tandem of Luongo and Scrivens for the next few seasons. What do you think folks, will Loungo end up with the Leafs? If so how does it effect their goalies?