Maple Leafs As Desperate for a Goalie as Any NHL Team Has Ever Been

The Toronto Maple Leafs still need a goalie.

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving hasn't done a single thing to help his team since the season started. In one of the worst managing performances in the history of professional sports, Treliving wasted the dream scenario that outgoing GM Kyle Dubas left for him.

When Treliving was hired, he has the best core in the NHL, not a single bad contract, and $20 million to spend in free-agency. Literally no GM has ever come into a better situation.

Unfortunately, he went 0-5 with Bertuzzi, Domi, Klingberg, Kampf and Reeves. Additionally, Noah Gregor has been horrendous, and Martin Jones really only had one good week. The only thing Treliving can brag about is Simon Benoit, who's complete lack of offensive game ruins the excellent defense he brings.

And weirdly, since they Trelving has been gun-shy and has seemingly been afraid to make a move. The Leafs have been desperate for help at virtuatlly every position this season at one time or another, and he hasn't lifted a finger.

But damn does this team need a goalie.

Maple Leafs As Desperate for a Goalie as Any NHL Team Has Ever Been

You might be thining that that headline is hyperbolic, but it isn't. The Leafs are in an extremely rare situation where they have a couple of the best players alive in their primes and a limited window for winning. And yet, somehow, they don't have a quality NHL goalie on their roster. That makes them desperate.

The Leafs are winning (seven of their last ten before last night) but that hardly matters. They are not playing in a way that promises future success, and they don't have a goalie.

While Samsonov has good numbers since going unclaimed on waivers, he is not someone you can trust in the playoffs. There is a zero percent chance Samsonov is on the Leafs playoff roster, no matter how good he does between now and whever Treliving lands his goalie.

You just can't trust him, and the relationship is over.

As for Joseph Woll, he's a great prospect, and if this wasn't one of a limited number of Auston Matthews/Mitch Marner Prime Seasons, it would be acceptable to ride with him.

But he's coming off a terreible injury for anyone, let alone a goalie. Even before that he wasn't a trustworthy option due to his injury history and lack of experience. Sticking with the status quo isn't good enough and even if Woll comes back and plays great, there is still way too good of a chance he goes down and Samsonov or Jones ends up in net during a playoff game.

The obvious answer here is to go for a difference-maker in net, and then over the next couple of years, gradually work Woll into the starters roll.

The top choice is Juuse Saros. After that, one of John Gibson, Jacob Markstrom or Jordan Binnington are all major upgrades that could turn around the Leafs season.

Brad Treliving needs to act fast before other teams pounce. Every game the Leafs play Samsonov or Jones is a joke, and everyone knows it. It's time for the GM to step up and show how he managed to get this job in the first place. We are losing patience.