Toronto Maple Leafs: Michael Hutchinson Is Worth the Price

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have solved their goaltending depth.

Michael Hutchinson has not had a great season.

In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to imagine how the 28-year-old’s 4-game stint with the Florida Panthers could have gone any worse than it actually did. Brought in to provide stability behind an ageing Roberto Luongo and inconsistent James Reimer, Hutchinson’s 1-1-2 record and even more dismal .839 save percentage gave the Panthers anything but and, ultimately, sent him packing before the ball could even drop for New Year’s.

Needless to say, Hutchinson is not the answer. Not the NHL level, at least. But that’s not the question Kyle Dubas seems to be asking.

As you’ve assuredly read about already either here, here, here, here, or here, the last time the words “Toronto Marlies” and “good goaltending” were mentioned in the same sentence happened all the way back in mid-June. This season, Sheldon Keefe could enter any game, strap Millhouse to both posts, and likely exit with the same result. And that’s putting it lightly.

Now 31 games in, the Marlies’ most consistent netminder has been none other than Eamon McAdam; a 25-year-old who began the year with ECHL Newfoundland and whose .891 save percentage is a good 25 points higher than Kasimir Kaskisuo‘s, Keefe’s initially presumed starter.

But that problem exists only in the AHL, right? Given how the two teams exist within different leagues, it’s easy to separate the Marlies’ and their issues from that of the Maple Leafs.

But this case is different. This has become a pressing issue.

The Marlies’ absence of anything that remotely resembles competent goaltending has now transcended their AHL-only bubble to impact all levels of the organization and, perhaps most egregiously, actively hamper the development of a number of Leafs’ prospects.

Watching Mike Babcock peer down his bench on Saturday in search of options to spell a flailing Garret Sparks, only to find no one but Kaskisuo, should really tell you all you need to know.

This is an organization that, above little else, prioritizes the success of their AHL affiliate. To Kyle Dubas & Co., few things are more conducive to a player’s development than a lengthy playoff run and they undoubtedly have the results to back that notion up.

Would Trevor Moore be an NHLer right now if not for his breakout Calder Cup performance? In a similar vein, would Mason Marchment be soon poised to follow? What about Carl Grundstrom, Pierre Engvall or Calle Rosen?

The short answer is no. And when the cap crunch inevitably comes to bite Toronto over the summer, their pipeline of NHL-ready, cost-effective options to fight it off would be much thinner than it is today.

This is why acquiring Hutchinson is so important; both to the Marlies and Leafs as a whole.

In the aftermath of yesterday’s trade, the main point of contention among fans appears to centre on the 2020 5th round pick Dubas sent the other way. Frankly, it’s a valid criticism too.

The Leafs acquired Hutchinson to fulfil a specific purpose; expend value at the AHL level. And that 5th-rounder carries a chance, slight as it may be, of doing exactly that but at the level above.

It’s here where context comes into play, though. Specifics of the trade aside, two things were abundantly clear as we entered into the Saturday slate of games:

• The Leafs needed a goalie.
• They’d be forced to spend assets to get one.

With Steve Mason and Kari Lehtonen being the two most notable options still available in mid-December, it effectively eliminated free agency as management’s avenue of choice.

As the Leafs tried (and ultimately failed) to claim Calvin Pickard back from the Flyers on waivers earlier this very month, their unfavourable priority standing would be unlikely to yield them much of any substance. Waiting for a capable #3 to filter through the waiver wire may have been fruitless and the clock was ticking.

Therefore, trade became the only logical and, in turn, feasible choice. Which is precisely the route Dubas proceeded to take.

Now, Dubas certainly could have rolled the dice on yet another solely AHL-specific option just as he did with Jeff Glass, whose Marlies tenure ended after just 10 games and a .849 save percentage. But enough band-aids have been slapped on this issue already. Instead, Dubas changed course to swing for stability – nabbing someone to give his organization tangible depth at either level.

Hutchinson does exactly that.

With save percentages that consistently hover around the low-to-mid .900’s, Hutchinson treads water in the NHL. But in the AHL? Well, he’s dominant.

Just last season, Sparks and Hutchinson actually finished 1 and 2, respectively, for the lead in AHL save percentage, as the latter’s mark of .935 even fell just 1 point shy of the top spot. Hutchinson was nothing short of phenomenal for the Manitoba Moose in 2017-18. And, much like Sparks, his absence this year has plummeted his former team down the standings.

On the topic of former teams, the timing of this move makes sense as well.

From December 26th-January 12th, the Marlies enter a stretch that will see them play 9 games in only 18 days; 7 of which coming against teams with a minimum of 35 points.

Expecting either Kaskisuo or McAdam to navigate that is simply not possible. Hutchinson, on the other hand, changes everything.

His presence shields the Marlies from what is quicly taking shape as an impending disaster and further ensures that both Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren return to the prospect of yet another playoff run following their respective layoffs.

This is why the cost was ultimately worth it.

Baulking at the price of a 5th-round pick, at least in this case, is nothing but a reactionary instinct from a bygone era. The Leafs are no longer in the business of hoarding draft capital with which to launch a future ascent.

Their window is open and it’s open right now.

A year from now, though? Well, that was at risk – what with the prospects on the Marlies, the same ones who will soon be vital to keeping that very window of contention open, having their development stunted by a shocking dearth of stability in net.

So, Dubas fixed it. And he certainly could have a higher price than a 2020 5th round pick to do so.

Thanks for reading!