Toronto Maple Leafs: Calvin Pickard Player Profile

The goalie depth to the Toronto Maple Leafs is impressive, and no one sums that up better than Calvin Pickard. 

Calvin Pickard could theoretically start for an NHL team, instead he is the number 4 goalie in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

The 26-year old has had a rough couple of years in the NHL, mainly due to his time with the Colorado Avalanche. Now he is the potential backup to Frederik Andersen in the NHL or the potential backup to Garret Sparks in the AHL. Basically Pickard is in goalie limbo.

While his future may be uncertain, Pickard provides the Leafs the kind of depth in net that other teams would kill to have, and a possible bargaining chip in future trade negotiations.

Player Profile: Calvin Pickard

The Avalanche drafted Pickard in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft after playing for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL. After the draft he spent 4 years in the AHL, 3 of them as a starter. Upon being called up to the Avalanche, Pickard split a backup role with Reto Berra. His first season saw Pickard post a 6-7-3 record with a 2.35 GAA and .932 SV% in 16 appearances. His numbers stayed strong the next year, going 7-6-1 and compiling a 2.56 GAA and .922 SV%. His first two seasons may have been solid, but his third year would be a different story.

2016-2017

In Pickard’s third year with the Avalanche, Semyon Varlamov suffered a groin injury that ended his season in January, prompting the team to name Pickard the new starter. The Avalanche would go on to have their worst 82 game season in franchise history (22-56-4) and Pickard’s statistics suffered as a result.

Starting 48 games, Pickard led the league in losses with a 15-31-2 record. His SV% (.904) and GAA (2.98) were both fourth worst among goalies with 30 or more starts.

After that disastrous season, Pickard, with one year left on his 2-year $2 million deal, was the first selection made by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft.

2017-2018

Pickard never played a game for the Golden Knights or their AHL affiliate. With Malcolm Subban taking over the backup role and Marc-André Fleury starting, the Golden Knights placed Pickard on waivers. However, after clearing waivers to be sent to Vegas’ AHL affiliate, Pickard was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 sixth-round pick.

Pickard started one game for the Maple Leafs last year. He allowed 4 goals on 28 shots in a 3-4 overtime loss to the Avalanche.

The Toronto Marlies found a use for Pickard. In 33 games, Pickard went 21-9-1 with a 2.30 GAA and .918 SV%, creating a dominant goalie tandem with Garret Sparks. He also started a game in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He stopped 18 shots in a 7-1 victory in game 3 of the divisional finals.

2018-2019?

Pickard is in an odd position coming into the season. He could backup Andersen, but the Leafs already have Curtis McElhinney. He could start for the Marlies, but they already have Garret Sparks. He could backup for Sparks, but the Marlies also have Kasimir Kaskisuo (Who just signed a two-year deal). He signed a new contract in June, but it expires next summer.

Weighing the options, the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade Pickard. He’s cheap ($800,000), an effective starter in the AHL and, 2016-2017 aside, is a potential backup or fringe starting goalie in the NHL and is only 26. There are plenty of teams that need a goalie like that the Leafs could call. Using Pickard as a trade asset could help the Leafs if they want to make a splash at the trade deadline or any time before it.

Salary figures courtesy of capfriendly.com

Statistics courtesy of hockeyreference.com and marlies.ca