No. 2: Darcy Kuemper
The reigning Stanley Cup champion is not returning to the Colorado Avalanche next season, which means he could be the next starting goalie for the Leafs.
At 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Kuemper is your typical modern-day NHL netminder. His size is a huge advantage and when healthy, he’s been one of the best goalies in the league over the past three seasons.
However, health is still the biggest concern with Kuemper.
Despite winning a Stanley Cup a few weeks ago, Kuemper’s health came into question, as he only won 10 of the 16 games for the Avalanche this post-season. Not only that, but during those starts, he finished with a .902 SV% and 2.57 GAA. (stats: hockeyreference.com)
The Avalanche were averaging around four goals per game in the playoffs, so almost any goalie in the NHL could have led that team to victory, which is a scary thought if Toronto signed him.
They’d basically be taking the same risk they took with Petr Mrazek, and we all know how that turned out.
I’d be cautious about signing Kuemper if I was Kyle Dubas, but despite the pessimism, he’ll still be near the top of the Leafs board for goalie options for next season.