Toronto Maple Leafs: Frederik Andersen, Number Eight Goalie

Entering in at number eight on the greatest goaltenders in Toronto Maple Leafs history is, Frederik Andersen.

Last article I talked about who I thought was the ninth greatest goaltender in Toronto Maple Leafs history, which was, James Reimer. This article we will look at who I think is the eighth greatest goalie in Leafs history.

#8: Frederik Andersen

Frederik Andersen was drafted 187th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010 but did not want to sign with the team, therefore he was put back into the draft causing the Anaheim Ducks to draft him 87th in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

The Leafs acquired Andersen on June 20th, 2016, from the Ducks for a 1st in 2016 (Sam Steel) and a 2nd in 2017 (Maxime Comtois). He started playing for the Leafs during the 2016-17 season.

2016-17 (before New Years)

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Andresen made his debut with the Leafs on October 12th, 2016 against the Ottawa Senators. While he did not play very well, fans did realize that it would take time for him to get comfortable in Toronto. Losing the game 5-4 in OT, Andersen knew he needed to bounce back.

The following game against the Boston Bruins on October 15th, the Leafs won 4-1. With his strong performance, Andersen showed Leafs fans what he was capable of.

In the month of October, Andersen posted a record of 2-2-3. While that is not great, he showed his potential at different moments.

In November, Andersen produced a record of 8-4-0. This improved his overall record to 10-6-3. He started to show that he was a lot more comfortable in his net. He also proved his doubters wrong and was only going to get better.

Over 10 games in December, Andersen’s record was 5-2-3. This gave him a total record of 15-8-6 before the Centennial Classic.

2016-17 (after New Years)

For the month of January, Andersen’s record was 6-3-2. He had a very strong month in January, posting back to back shutouts on the 23rd and 25th against the Calgary Flames and the Detroit Red Wings.

Andersen produced a record of 3-4-4 in 11 games in February. This was his worst month with the team but he made up for it in March.

In March, Andersen had a record of 7-2-2 in 11 games. After having his worst month in February, he bounced back with a strong month and helped the Leafs get back into the playoff race.

He finished the season with a record of 4-1-0 in April and helped the Leafs make the postseason in a full 82 game season for the first time since 2003-04.

Andersen finished the season with a record of 35-18-14, a Sv% of .918 and a GAA of 2.67. While those numbers are not elite, he was a very strong starter for the Leafs with a below average defensive core in front of him. We can expect his numbers to increase next season.

In the playoffs, Andersen had a record of 2-4 with a Sv% of .915 and a GAA of 2.68. The Leafs were an inexperienced playoff team playing against the President Trophy winners, getting to six games was very impressive.

Overview

Andersen has only played for the Leafs for one season but in that time he has shown what he is capable of doing. He makes highlight reel saves and has the potential to be one of the best goalies in the league. With his shown potential, this rating foreshadowing what I believe Andersen can do for the Leafs.

Next: Babcock's Defensive Pairings

If Andersen can keep on improving and help the Leafs end their Stanley Cup drought, he definitely has the chance of moving up on this list.

*stats from hockeydb.com & hockey-reference.com

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