Toronto Maple Leafs: Saying Goodbye To Bernier And Reimer

Jonathan Bernier has been sent packing as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks have agreed on a deal that would send the 27 year-old back to California in exchange for a conditional 2017 draft pick.

Funny how things can quickly change, when the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Bernier in the summer of 2013 there were arguments of how he and Reimer would form one of, if not the best goalie tandems in the league.

Which at the time it was a valid argument since Reimer was coming off a good postseason performance and Bernier was the “sexy” backup goalie that was looking to become a start somewhere else.

This tandem pretty much defined the Dave Nonis era and his time in Toronto, which was filled with a bit of good, some bad, and a whole lot of ugly.

Each had their moment in the sun as the number one guy in the crease, Reimer was one of the reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to end their playoff drought during the lockout shortened season in 2013. While Bernier had an impressive first season which resulted in the team being in a playoff spot through the 2014 Olympic break.

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But with the good came the bad, as both were unable to halt the slide after the team returned from the Olympic break that resulted in them collapsing and missing the playoffs. Then there was the ugly for this tandem when they could not keep this team from going off the rails after Randy Carlyle was fired in 2015.

The faults of the Toronto Maple Leafs do not fall solely on the shoulders of Reimer and Bernier, the defenses in front of them have been average to below.

However, this tandem just never really was a fit, you had two guys who wanted to be the guy and did not want to share the crease. Which sparked controversy and that was one of the recurring themes when the media would speak with Carlyle, who was starting in net that night.

As a result, the controversy would divide the fan base, there was one half that was pro-Reimer while the other half was pro-Bernier, then there were some who liked both. Then whenever one of the goalies would fail, there would be one-half of the fan base arguing with the other half on various social media outlets saying how wrong they are for supporting that goalie.

Now with Bernier being shipped off to Anaheim and James Reimer signing with the Florida Panthers last week, it officially marks the end of the tandem and the debate of who should be the number one goalie going forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Next: Andersen: The PK Savior?

In the end, this is a fresh start for everyone.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have found their number one goalie going forward in Frederik Andersen, Reimer has found a new home in Florida with a five-year contract, and Jonathan Bernier is now able to move on from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and start anew in Anaheim.