Anatomy Of A Jonathan Bernier Trade
Jonathan Bernier is the latest source of controversy in Leafs Nation… but he won’t be the last.
Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Today, we’re starting a new weekly feature here at EditorInLeaf.com ; breaking down the anatomy of a trade involving a different piece of the Leafs core every week. We’ll look at rumoured trades and teams that insiders say are interested, as well as one or two that haven’t been mentioned but make sense from a prospect/salary cap/team need perspective. We’ll break down what the Leafs would need for each player and then break down possible trades with each of the rumoured teams.
There has been a lot of talk recently about Jonathan Bernier and his place going forward inside the Toronto rebuild. Where once (at the beginning of the season) he was thought to be a sure No.1 goaltender and one of the Leafs few untouchable pieces to build a new core around … now it seems as if Leafs management have soured on him and both parties may want out.
"“We were probably a junior team against an NHL team tonight, I don’t know how many times were gonna talk about having a good start and just not do it”"
With Bernier coming out with this scathing gem about the teams play two weeks ago and facing the prospect of most of the teams “best” players being moved out-of-town and potentially playing behind an even worse team next season, getting out of Toronto has to be on his mind.
On this week’s roundtable we talked about whether it was worth keeping Bernier on for the rebuild, you can read that piece here.
Jonathan Bernier is unquestionably a talented goaltender, currently sitting 12th in 5v5 Sv% with 92.99% despite playing for the defensively porous Leafs. However, despite these elite numbers, Bernier has developed a habit of letting in a “weak” goal early on in games.
Like many younger goaltenders still finding their footholds in the league, Bernier also struggles with consistency and this has kept him from putting the critics to rest and truly assuming the mantle of being an elite number one goaltender in the NHL.
Let us assume that Bernier wants out and that the Leafs want to move him this summer, possibly as early as the NHL entry draft. What would the Leafs need back for such an obviously talented but inconsistent goaltender? What teams would be interested?
Which of those teams actually have the right fit, in terms of cap space, prospects/picks/young roster players and need at the goaltender position?
Let’s take a look.
Next: What Is Bernier Worth?