Toronto Maple Leafs: Andersen Record + More
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Islanders on Good Friday.
The win gives the Toronto Maple Leafs a franchise record 47 wins in a season, with four games to go. Their previous record was in two years:
1) In 1999 the Leafs had 45 wins and 100 points, but there were still ties, and they had seven ties.
2) In 2003-04 the Leafs also had 45 wins, this time with 103 points, which is their current franchise record. This year they had ten ties.
It’s hard to compare those season to this season. Back then, you also got a point for an O.T loss, but games were still worth just two points and there were no shoot-outs.
This year the Leafs have 47 wins, but seven of them are in a shoot-out. There are also no ties and three-point games, so it’s probably not their best ever season.
Either way, it’s still impressive. The Leafs also have 101 points after last night’s win, and look like a sure bet to top the 103 from 2003-04 which is the current franchise record.
Andersen
Last night, with the win, Freddie Andersen tied the Toronto Maple Leafs all-time single season record for wins by a goalie.
Frederik Andersen's 37th victory of the season ties the @MapleLeafs record for single-season wins by a goaltender. #TMLtalk
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) March 31, 2018
The record of 37 wins is held by both Ed Belfour (2002-03) and Andrew Raycroft (2006-07). This record is somewhat pathetic as far as franchise marks go, since Raycroft’s team didn’t even make the playoffs.
You read that right: an original six team’s franchise record for wins by a goalie isn’t even high enough to have gotten them into the playoffs in the year he set it. Raycroft’s record ranks as the 99th best season by a goalie, yet it was first for the Leafs. Oh man!
Andersen will probably get at least a couple more chances to break the record, which is a good thing since it’s probably for the best we don’t have to consider Andrew Raycroft the best goalie in franchise history. (Not like anyone did, but you get my point!).
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In case you were wondering, some other records for Leafs goalies are:
Felix Potvin 74 games played (Andersen is at 64 with four games to go, but he isn’t likely to play all of them).
Harry Lumley once had 13 shut-outs in 1953-43. Andersen has five, which might not be close the record, but is impressive since it’s 4th in the league this year.
Andersen’s stats are not among the league-leaders in any category, but I still think he deserves Vezina consideration because of how terrible the Leafs defense and how many wins he’s stolen for the team this year. The numbers truly do not reflect his performance because Toronto scores a lot and allows a ton of shots-against.
Next: 1st NHL Goals by Leafs Players
He may not deserve the award, but he should at least be nominated for the Vezina as one of the three best goalies in the NHL this year.