Jack Campbell
Frederik Andersen has had his fair share of criticism for his playoff performances in the past, and while some of it was warranted, the Leafs never really had a solid backup to rely on in the event of a poor start.
While I personally believe that this Toronto Maple Leafs team will go as far as Andersen can carry them, Jack Campbell showed some signs towards the end of the regular season where he could be a reliable option in the event of a small slump from their primary goaltender.
Throughout his six games since being acquired in early February along with Kyle Clifford, Campbell had a 3-2-1 record with a 2.63 GAA and a solid 915 SV%.
To leave a depleted LA Kings team and be forced to play in some of the most meaningful games of his career behind an injury-ridden blue line, it’s safe to say that Campbell has had a promising outing as a Maple Leaf thus far.
Like all of the teams in the play-in round, the Maple Leafs face a unique situation, where there isn’t a lot of wiggle room to drop a game early in the series.
Assuming that they initially decide to ride with Andersen, this means that Campbell’s impact may become more apparent later in the playoffs if the Leafs manage to make it out of the entry round.
With Campbell as their backup, there is no doubt that this has been the best goaltending duo that the Leafs have had heading into the playoffs in a very long time.