Sportsnet: CJ: Teams interested in Andersen, who is reportedly preparing not to be in Toronto next season

[Legion34]

Dubas also came out right after the trade and said he was willing to trade the 1st for win-now help, though.

Yes. But if he was willing to trade kappy wherever he got a first..... then JR would have wanted 2 firsts?

if the leafs got a prospect from say jersey......

What were they trading for Murray if not kapanen?

 

[66-30-33]

I sure hope Murray isn't the target. The Leafs shouldn't be looking to downgrade in net

Hopefully the deal was Pens get their 15th OA back in the MM deal. I'll be hoping really hard.

 

[TheDoldrums]

And he has provided steady starting goaltending in spite of that workload. If the Leafs can't afford an Andersen extension what's the likelihood that his replacement will be an upgrade? Or even on par? I get the elimination game gripe, I really do, but assuming the next guy will be some revelation just because he's new is some real wishful Kyle Dubas thinking.

Jack Campbell has never started 35 games in a season and has 23 wins to his name. There should be a lot of other goalies available this year so maybe they can nab a good one. Moving on for the sake of moving on just seems like classic 1 step forward 2 steps back.

No ones assuming the next guy will be a revelation. Andersen was below average this year, they can certainly get that production for less than $5 million.

The team seems to have no interest in a long-term deal. So why not trade him while he still has value and find someone cheaper and/or under term for longer.

 

[Puckclektr]

Once again another goalie run out of town because the team never managed to put defense in front of them.
I swear I don’t get why people continue to support this management, year after year and decade after decade

 

[Knies iT]

Because when you're a team in win now mode who hasn't won a playoff series, you simply must trade your above average starting goaltender.

Leafs find their first good goaltender since Belfour and now people want to blame him for the terrible team defense?

Hilarious narrative. Andersen is an average starter coming off of a below average season.

Andersen's abysmal play in the regular season almost almost cost the Leafs a playoff spot. 2019-20 was the worst season of his career (.909sv%) and he is 31 with an expiring contract next summer who will be looking for term. The team defense is an obvious issue that will be addressed in the summer, but it's not the only issue. Andersen is 0-8 in elimination games and self-destructs in big moments (Wilson goal in '16, Debrusk in '18, Aktinson goal in '20, Foudy goal in '20, and every game 7 against Boston). They have given him every chance to prove he can take this team to the next level and he's failed. I cannot remember the last stretch of games where Andersen downright outplayed the opposition goalie and this was a trend months before the COVID shutdown.

If Dubas keeps Andersen and we watch him walk in UFA for NOTHING, that is a fireable offense. Capitalizing on his value now is exactly what management should have done with JVR/Gardiner the summer before their deals were up.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Welp looks like Murray to Toronto will happen, just not as a part of the Kapanen deal

When the Kapanen trade went down it was reported that Murray was never brought up. He doesn't have a contract so it's tough to plan around, I doubt they want to sign him long-term right now and who knows what he gets in arbitration. He has the sort of pedigree (Cup winner, past success) that might give him an inflated number. I think if they're going to downgrade it's for someone cheaper.

 

[BeLeafing]

For anyone trying to understand why Andersen is likely on the move it has everything to do with age/contract and not much to do with his play. Sure, he wasn't amazing this year but if he was 26 signed for 3 more years there is no chance he is being traded.

As we learned with Bobrovsky last year you don't sign 30+ year old goalies to longer term deals, and that's what Freddy will be after. Dubas has to maximize the asset now since he knows he isn't re-signing him. And to be fair, the team hasn't played well enough to deserve a 1 year rental on Freddy.

I imagine he will be dealt, a cheaper younger guy will be brought in (separately), and he'll split with Campbell. Not sure it if will work, but that is the logic behind it.

 

[6ix]

This reminds me of when the Oilers were idiots with Dubnyk and ran with guys like Scrivens, Fasth, Bryz, and Khabibulin after getting mad at Dubnyk for not being prime Hasek.

Andersen is over 30, and will be looking for a big payday after next year. Leafs are better off trading and getting something for him now. He’s not a franchise goalie. He’s average to slightly above average at best. I think it’s best for both sides to move on.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The Leafs won't be resigning him when his contract is up, he'll be 31 and most likely look for 6 mill+ on a deal. We can't afford that so it's time to find someone else before losing him for nothing.

Also, he's not the main issue but he's not apart of the solution either. He routinely gives up back breaking goals in critical games. Game 5 this year the second goal was awful, game 7 last year he gave up a couple terrible ones (goals 1 and 3), game 7 the year before he gave up stinkers as well (I remember the Debrusk winning goal wasn't great). There was a stat where he's 0-8 in his last 8 elimination games with a 3.5+ gaa and under 900 save percentage. Something just isn't right with him during those situations

He's been a solid goaltender for us and was our best goalie in a long time but if we find another option it makes sense to move on

That record in elimination games doesn't make sense considering he won the Game 4 versus Columbus this year when the Leafs were on the brink of elimination.

Counting only the games that actually ended the Leafs' season seems misguided since it's ignoring the games he won when the Leafs *could* have been eliminated, but weren't.

 

[Drew311]

Leafs find their first good goaltender since Belfour and now people want to blame him for the terrible team defense?

Leafs can’t afford to re-sign him and need the cap space now. The flat cap is going to do this to many teams. Not sure why this is hard to understand.

They can probably get a good piece for him and Campbell looks like he can handle 40 games. Just need to find a cheap above average second goalie for a tandem.

 

[HolyCrap]

Once again another goalie run out of town because the team never managed to put defense in front of them.
I swear I don’t get why people continue to support this management, year after year and decade after decade

Just so you know this is different management than twenty years ago. Lol.

 

[Perennial]

The Leafs brass have likely determined they're not comfortable signing Anderson to an extension, and the best course of action is to trade him for long term assets and immediate cap space...

 

[Drew311]

Once again another goalie run out of town because the team never managed to put defense in front of them.
I swear I don’t get why people continue to support this management, year after year and decade after decade

Who is running him out of town. Freddy was a good goalie for four seasons for the Leafs. The fans like him but it doesn’t make sense to re-sign him for 7M in his early 30’s. I’d argue management in the past would let players walk for free with no results to show for it. If they can get a good piece for Freddy it make a lot of sense.

 

[Richard88]

Andersen's $1m salary probably makes him an attractive option for a lot of teams.

I'd imagine that Kuemper would be pretty high on Dubas' list, and the #15 pick would be pretty enticing for Arizona one would think.

Perhaps upgrading the backup position would be smart as well, in which case would Toronto have any interest in Francouz ($2m x 2 years)? And if so, what would you offer?

 

[Bounces R Way]

No ones assuming the next guy will be a revelation. Andersen was below average this year, they can certainly get that production for less than $5 million.

The team seems to have no interest in a long-term deal. So why not trade him while he still has value and find someone cheaper and/or under term for longer.

So they'll trade their starting goalie in what looks like a very crowded goalie market who is coming off a disappointing season and is a UFA after next season for "value". And then ostensibly find someone younger, cheaper, and better with term for next to nothing?

I just don't see it, unless that 15th overall is in play for a goalie. Which would still not solve the problems they face on the blueline.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Andersen's $1m salary probably makes him an attractive option for a lot of teams.

I'd imagine that Kuemper would be pretty high on Dubas' list, and the #15 pick would be pretty enticing for Arizona one would think.

Perhaps upgrading the backup position would be smart as well, in which case would Toronto have any interest in Francouz ($2m x 2 years)? And if so, what would you offer?

I like the idea of acquiring him but 15th is way too rich for two years of Kuemper.

 

[Legion34]

So they'll trade their starting goalie in what looks like a very crowded goalie market who is coming off a disappointing season and is a UFA after next season for "value". And then ostensibly find someone younger, cheaper, and better with term for next to nothing?

I just don't see it, unless that 15th overall is in play for a goalie. Which would still not solve the problems they face on the blueline.

they will trade a legit starter who only makes 1 million in the middle of a pandemic.

teams that can’t pay the hot dog guy would be pretty pumped to pay Andersen 1 million in comparison to the market.

 

[Martin Skoula]

The team doesn't play loose in front of him anymore, that's a death sentence for a team playing a high risk game. We don't need a goalie that's going to make highlight reel saves on breakaways every time, we need a goalie that's not going to deflate the team by letting 3rd liners put in wrist shots from the boards on him.

 

[LeafsNation75]

That record in elimination games doesn't make sense considering he won the Game 4 versus Columbus this year when the Leafs were on the brink of elimination.

Counting only the games that actually ended the Leafs' season seems misguided since it's ignoring the games he won when the Leafs *could* have been eliminated, but weren't.

That 0-8 record Andersen has only includes winner take all games like a Game 7 or in this case Game 5 against Columbus since that series was a best of five.

 

[1FreakZilla3]

Does anyone think it’s possible JR and Dubas worked out a deal that Pens trade the 1st for Kapanen, then Tor trades the 1st back for Murray once Toronto trades Andersen?

Dubas probably didn’t want to trade for Murray before dealing Andersen for leverage reasons. 15th OA for Kapanen seems like an overpayment, maybe there was a wink wink deal that once Dubas trades Andersen he gives Pitt 15OA back for Murray because that was the original target all along

Essentially a Murray for Kapanen

No ........................

 

[TheDoldrums]

So they'll trade their starting goalie in what looks like a very crowded goalie market who is coming off a disappointing season and is a UFA after next season for "value". And then ostensibly find someone younger, cheaper, and better with term for next to nothing?

I just don't see it, unless that 15th overall is in play for a goalie. Which would still not solve the problems they face on the blueline.

Of course you don't see it, you seem to deal in hyberbole. I say the Leafs would look for someone cheaper and/or under more term, you say I'm asking for someone younger, cheaper, better with term for next to nothing. Like earlier, when you said we were all assuming the next goalie would be a revelation. Pretty clear you just want to be flippant.

 

[seanlinden]

Andersen's $1m salary probably makes him an attractive option for a lot of teams.

I'd imagine that Kuemper would be pretty high on Dubas' list, and the #15 pick would be pretty enticing for Arizona one would think.

Perhaps upgrading the backup position would be smart as well, in which case would Toronto have any interest in Francouz ($2m x 2 years)? And if so, what would you offer?

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe his actual salary may be close to $0.

Escrow is 20% this year. Signing bonuses are not subject to escrow at the time of the bonus, but rather, are used in calculating the escrow deduction from the regular paycheques.

Andersen has a $5m total compensation this year. 80% of which has been paid by the Leafs, and 20% of which would go out in salary, but also 20% which is withheld by escrow.

 

[leafsfan5]

That record in elimination games doesn't make sense considering he won the Game 4 versus Columbus this year when the Leafs were on the brink of elimination.

Counting only the games that actually ended the Leafs' season seems misguided since it's ignoring the games he won when the Leafs *could* have been eliminated, but weren't.

Yeah I was misremembered there. The stat was for series clinching games not elimination games in general.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Of course you don't see it, you seem to deal in hyberbole. I say the Leafs would look for someone cheaper and/or under more term, you say I'm asking for someone younger, cheaper, better with term for next to nothing.

I also love that the goalie market is simultaneously packed with goaltending talent that will make it impossible for Andersen to have any value, and also the Leafs will be unable to find a goalie

 

[Patmac40]

Andersen's $1m salary probably makes him an attractive option for a lot of teams.

I'd imagine that Kuemper would be pretty high on Dubas' list, and the #15 pick would be pretty enticing for Arizona one would think.

Perhaps upgrading the backup position would be smart as well, in which case would Toronto have any interest in Francouz ($2m x 2 years)? And if so, what would you offer?

The Leafs already have Campbell, a solid backup, making $1.6 for the next two so I think they're set at backup