Toronto Maple Leafs: Pressing Needs to Become a Great Team
The Toronto Maple Leafs trade rumours and free agent opportunities for a backup goaltender.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a great 2016-17 season. They went from a last place, 69 point finish the year before, to the playoffs. Now it’s time to take the next step.
The question on every Leafs fan’s mind; how does the team do that? It’s nice to make the Playoffs, but now the real test is in trying to become a perennial contender. With the young core the Leafs have been fortunate enough to draft, nothing less than becoming a multiple Cup winning, yearly threat like the Blackhawks or Penguins will be acceptable. The NHL has found parity during the salary cap era, but when you’re gifted Matthews, Nylander, Marner in successive drafts, the expectation is that you’ll do a bit more than just make the playoffs.
Two Areas in Need of Improvement.
- A quality back-up goaltender
- Acquire a top four RHD for the blue line
While acquiring a defenceman is complicated, finding a good backup seems easy. Scoring goals is no longer an issue for the Leafs. For the team to go from good to elite, they must prevent more goals.
| Team | AvAge | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | PTS% | GF | GA | SRS | SOS | TG/G | PP | PPO | PP% | PPA | PPOA | PK% | SH | SHA | S | S% | SA | SV% | PDO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Leafs | 26.2 | 82 | 40 | 27 | 15 | 95 | .579 | 250 | 234 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 6.01 | 57 | 244 | 23.36 | 44 | 251 | 82.47 | 6 | 7 | 2617 | 9.6 | 2666 | .915 | 100.8 |
| League Average | 28.0 | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | .559 | 227 | 227 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.53 | 47 | 245 | 19.10 | 47 | 245 | 80.90 | 6 | 6 | 2478 | 9.0 | 2468 | .913 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/20/2017.
From the beginning of the 2014-15 season through the end of this past year, the team has gone through drastic personnel changes. Only seven players who dressed for a minimum of one game remain from the 2014-15 disaster are around and Josh Leivo suited up for only nine games that season.
| Season | Lg | Team | GP | W | L | T | OL | PTS | PTS% | SRS | SOS | Finish | Playoffs | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | NHL | Maple Leafs | 82 | 40 | 27 | 15 | 95 | .579 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 3rd | Lost NHL First Round | M. Babcock (40-27-15) | |
| 2015-16 | NHL | Maple Leafs | 82 | 29 | 42 | 11 | 69 | .421 | -0.56 | 0.03 | 8th | M. Babcock (29-42-11) | ||
| 2014-15 | NHL | Maple Leafs | 82 | 30 | 44 | 8 | 68 | .415 | -0.61 | 0.02 | 7th | R. Carlyle (21-16-3), P. Horachek (9-28-5) |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/20/2017.
Toronto Maple Leafs had a Hole in the Line-Up, the Opposition Fired Pucks Through it.
Jonas Enroth
The Leafs started the season with Jonas Enroth as their backup goalie. Enroth started six games before being shown the door. As a result of his play, he cost the team psychologically as well as precious points in the standings. As a young, fragile team, the Leafs need a backup who is better than 0-6 with a 3.94 SVS and 0.872 GAA. Had Enroth been average and gone 3-3, the Leafs would have finished the season with 101 points while finishing second in the Atlantic. Let’s not waste time thinking about a better first round matchup and where it may have led.
Antoine Bibeau
Antoine Bibeau played well in his two starts. His athleticism is off the charts and in every game, he makes lightning quick saves that leave observers wondering, how? Unfortunately, his attention seems to wander and he often allows goals on stoppable pucks. Antoine Bibeau has the skills to become an NHL goalie, but does he have the mental makeup? His inconsistency concerns the Maple Leafs organization.
"Bibeau, of the QMJHL Champion Val-d’Or Foreurs was named Outstanding Goaltender of the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup. mastercardmemorialcup.com"
Furthermore, Bibeau struggled with the Marlies during the 2016-17 campaign. His save percentage ballooned nearly 40 points to 3.08 while his save percentage of 0.894, was his worst in three seasons. With an injury to Garrett Sparks and the division up for grabs, Sheldon Keefe started Kasimir Kaskisuo, he of two career AHL games ahead of Bibeau.
Is Big Mac the Answer or Just Another Hamburger?
Curtis McElhinney
After running his starter into the ground, the Leafs claimed Curtis McElhinney off the waiver wire January 10, 2017. Andersen had started 31 of the first 39 games of the season,
Toronto claims Curtis McElhinney on waivers from Columbus
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) January 10, 2017
"McElhinney will get a look after posting a 2-1-2 record along with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage as a member of the Blue Jackets this season. rotoworld.com"
McElhinney provided what Enroth could not. In almost every one of his 14 games, he gave the Leafs a chance to win. McElhinney went 6-7 with a 2.85 GAA and a .914 SVS. Since Big Mac helped the Leafs to their first postseason birth in an 82 game season since 2003-04, will the Leafs resign him? Talking with fans, many feel McElhinney will solve the Leafs backup problem next season. I am not so sure.