Toronto Maple Leafs All-Decade Team Roundtable

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 10: Kasperi Kapanen #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates after scoring on Tristan Jarry #35 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the Air Canada Centre on March 10, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates behind Kapanen. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 10: Kasperi Kapanen #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates after scoring on Tristan Jarry #35 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the Air Canada Centre on March 10, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates behind Kapanen. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 04: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) celebrates the win and congratulates Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Michael Hutchinson (30) at the end of the third period in a game between the New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 04, 2020, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario Canada. (Photo by Nick Turchiaro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

My Goalies

The Toronto Maple Leafs were a bottom ten in terms of team SV% over the decade until Frederik Andersen arrived since that time the Leafs are closer to the top 10 instead of the bottom ten even with a poor defense.

Finding a competent staring goaltender was among the toughest tests for the Toronto Maple Leafs over the decade.

The only goalie to have consistently above-average numbers from year to year on the Leafs is Andersen and if we filter to add them up to the decade overall James Riemer does come out as an above-average goaltender but there was never the consistency we have with Freddie.

The two goaltenders to make it onto the all-decade team come to no one else other than Frederik Andersen and James Riemer

Starting Goalie

Frederik Andersen has been the most valuable player for the Leafs since he arrived, and I’m sorry to inform you it is not close.

Freddie has not only been the MVP for the Leafs but the most consistent goaltender in the league since he has arrived, he has had almost exactly a 918SV% year to year since 2015 like clockwork.

His trade for Andersen trade ought to be among the best of the decade  the difference between the team’s success before and after he arrived is incredible. He is slowing becoming the best goaltender to ever be in a Leaf uniform, he deserves all of the praise he gets.

Backup Goalie

James Riemer was a Leaf for a lengthy period of time over this decade, he had some excellent seasons along with some weak ones but was a good overall goaltender for the team and ultimately carried them to the playoffs in 2013, they wouldn’t have made it there without him. Riemer does deserve love for his time here, he was not even close to Andersen good but he was decent and that as Leaf fans know is hard to find.

Final Thoughts

Toronto as a team had plenty more failures than success, but there were at least moments of success throughout the decade. But there are still an abundance of good players to choose from when making this all-decade team as you will see for the other fantastic contributors at Editor in Leaf