Speculation: How do you handle Toronto's goalie situation?

[Cor]

Kinda embaressing to see Jeffler and Mirtle upset that Sparks has essentially lost his spot.

I think everyone had Sparks as the guy going into camp, and Babcock even flat out said he'll watch the games and let them decide. Well, Sparks hasn't looked good in either of his half games, nor his full game. Not just from a GAA/SV% standpoint, but even just watching the guy. He doesn't look comfortable.

And then Jeffler claims McBackup has a history of being more bad then good, when that is extemely false, when McBackup has had 1 poor season in the last 7-9 years. When he was first breaking into the league he had a couple rough years that brings down his career numbers, but even then he's a career .909. Remove his stint with Calgary when he first entered the league, and his career average goes above .910.

If you want to get rid of McBackup because of his age, at this point, the alternative is Calvin Pickard, who has good numbers at both the AHL and NHL level.

 

[Fogelhund]

Paul Hendrick‏ @HennyTweets 44s44 seconds ago
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Andersen to play 2 of the last 3 preseason games, McElhinney will get the other. #tmltalk

 

[glue]

Paul Hendrick‏ @HennyTweets 44s44 seconds ago
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Andersen to play 2 of the last 3 preseason games, McElhinney will get the other. #tmltalk

Hmm...that doesn't appear to bode well for Sparks, a good game from McBackup will seal the deal I think.

 

[Buds17]

It's always a bonus if a team can get younger while simultaneously getting better, and the team has done its fair share of that over the past couple of seasons. Better is where progress is made though. I'd expect McElhinney would've had the edge coming into this preseason based on what he's done here, though all three candidates requiring waivers is also a circumstance that should level the playing field. The team is built to move forward sooner rather than later, and I'd guess McElhinney is still the current best bet for that.

 

[Cor]

Andersen Wednesday and Friday. McBackup on Sunday.

Nice to see the management group has chosen the correct tandem.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Paul Hendrick‏ @HennyTweets 44s44 seconds ago
More
Andersen to play 2 of the last 3 preseason games, McElhinney will get the other. #tmltalk

Yep, there you have it sounds like a done deal to me.

 

[Warden of the North]

Yep, there you have it sounds like a done deal to me.

Yep. Sparks is done

 

[81Leafs50]

Two words: Tukka Rask

DO you honestly think Sparks as a prospect is on the same level as Rask when he was drafted?

Rask was a 1st round pick. Highly touted and went 21st overall. Sparks was a no body drafted at 190th.

 

[Warden of the North]

Kinda embaressing to see Jeffler and Mirtle upset that Sparks has essentially lost his spot.

I think everyone had Sparks as the guy going into camp, and Babcock even flat out said he'll watch the games and let them decide. Well, Sparks hasn't looked good in either of his half games, nor his full game. Not just from a GAA/SV% standpoint, but even just watching the guy. He doesn't look comfortable.

And then Jeffler claims McBackup has a history of being more bad then good, when that is extemely false, when McBackup has had 1 poor season in the last 7-9 years. When he was first breaking into the league he had a couple rough years that brings down his career numbers, but even then he's a career .909. Remove his stint with Calgary when he first entered the league, and his career average goes above .910.

If you want to get rid of McBackup because of his age, at this point, the alternative is Calvin Pickard, who has good numbers at both the AHL and NHL level.

Career averages are pointless when it comes to backups. All that matters is winning games. Literally thats it. The present.

 

[Gallagbi]

Piccard wont clear waivers neither will but mcbackup is your choice now

Leafs just need to draft more goalies.

You think we'll lose 2 goalies on waivers? Who out there needs a backup that bad?

 

[Duke Silver]

Is it unreasonable to ask if team effects had anything to do with Sparks' sparkling (pun intended) AHL numbers last season? He played behind one of, if not THE, best defences in the AHL.

From a relative standpoint, going from facing AHL shooters with an AHL-best defence, to facing NHL shooters with an NHL-average defence may be too much for him.

 

[ACC1224]

You think we'll lose 2 goalies on waivers? Who out there needs a backup that bad?

Pickard may be claimed, I think Sparks would clear.

 

[Warden of the North]

Pickard cleared last year then we traded for him

 

[Cor]

Career averages are pointless when it comes to backups. All that matters is winning games. Literally thats it. The present.

Oh, I agree. Which is why it's silly to consider dumping the goalie who has saved 92.5% of the shots he's faced since he got here, and has won 57% of the games he got the decision for.

 

[Gallagbi]

Career averages are pointless when it comes to backups. All that matters is winning games. Literally thats it. The present.

Logically better numbers would suggest a higher chance of winning. I don't like career % but looking at trending/projections seems completely logical over just W/L record.

 

[Warden of the North]

Oh, I agree. Which is why it's silly to consider dumping the goalie who has saved 92.5% of the shots he's faced since he got here, and has won 57% of the games he got the decision for.

100%

One of my favourite parts of last season in regards to the media was Siegel having to admit defeat on the McElhinnry issue. He couldnt drop the Enroth thing from the previous year.

 

[Warden of the North]

Logically better numbers would suggest a higher chance of winning. I don't like career % but looking at trending/projections seems completely logical over just W/L record.

Winning as in right now. McElhinney was winning all of last season, and has certainly trended way up since getting here.

If he starts out 0-5 I fully expect he'll be gone because hea not doing the only thing a backup needs to do

 

[ShaneFalco]

Not everyone can handle playing once in a blue-moon (mainly on back-to-backs). McBackup does it well

 

[thewave]

Mcbackup would have been an upgrade for us vs Boston. You take the proven performer and ride him out until he is done.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

Not everyone can handle playing once in a blue-moon (mainly on back-to-backs). McBackup does it well

This was my biggest concern with replacing him. He's shown that he's money in the bank even when sitting for days and even a week or more at a stretch. Not all goalies can stay sharp without regular playing time.

 

[Cor]

Winning as in right now. McElhinney was winning all of last season, and has certainly trended way up since getting here.

If he starts out 0-5 I fully expect he'll be gone because hea not doing the only thing a backup needs to do

Exactly. Babcock has said before a job of a backup is to get called upon every 2 weeks, and be able to win that game. You need to put the 2 points on the board. McBackup does that. He's a very good backup goalie.

So yeah, Sparks and Pickard will go on waivers, and they will likely clear, and then if McBackup doesn't win, then one of them will get the chance to win.

 

[Matthews34]

Sparks is bum and career AHLer just waive him and be done with it. Freddy and McBackup can hold the fort for a couple years until one or two of Kaskisuo, Woll, Scott and Bouthillier are ready to step in.

 

[Burnie97]

So... it's been decided... thread over???

 

[Menzinger]

Logically better numbers would suggest a higher chance of winning. I don't like career % but looking at trending/projections seems completely logical over just W/L record.

Using wins and losses do evaluate a goalie is nonsensical, it’s a team stat nothing more. A goalie who plays like garbage yet the team wins in spite of this shouldn’t get credit for it (broadly speaking)

 

[GrizzLeaf]

Using wins and losses do evaluate a goalie is nonsensical, it’s a team stat nothing more. A goalie who plays like garbage yet the team wins in spite of this shouldn’t get credit for it (broadly speaking)

By any standard, using wins within the same team for two goalies kinda matters.

Both goalies had the same group in front of them for the pre-season. In regards to McElhinney's wins last season; he usually played in the second game of back to backs. So tired team. He often played after long stretches of down time. And yet, he was money in the bank.

Wins is deff what a backup will be judged by.