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

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Don't know why folks are so anxious to trade the waiver eligible picks, you get nothing of value in trades. So few players are ever claimed on waivers because the claiming has to keep them on a the NHL roster. So you might as keep these two goalies that need to be waived.
So you trade two goalies, who does leave if one of the two NHLers get hurt, an inexperienced goalies with little pro expererience. Why folks are so "trade happy" a the detriment of the team, I don't understand.

 

[Derekhanna89]

McElhinney's numbers in seasons where he played more than 20 games:

2010-11 (Ducks): .890 sv%
2013-14 (CBJ): .909 sv%
2014-15 (CBJ): .914 sv%

We should not be happy with these numbers and should expect way more from our backup this year if he's easing the load on Freddy. Maybe inform yourself before making stupid comments.

So you ignore the year he had with us, but bring up stats from 7 years ago on a different team? That...is weird. Even looking at those numbers he got better as time went on. I am all for trading him, I feel no love or loyality towards him, but that argument is just bad.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

every time he was in net he gave the team a chance too win

this.

I'd start with three goalies on the roster... give Sparks a few games, and see how he plays. If he sinks... send him to the AHL.

This is the best move ...

We are a win now team but showcasing Sparks for future trades could be a good idea.

Garret Sparks hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com

Sparks hasn't played for the last 2 years.

Time to see how he's matured in the net.

 

[tmlfan98]

So you ignore the year he had with us, but bring up stats from 7 years ago on a different team? That...is weird. Even looking at those numbers he got better as time went on. I am all for trading him, I feel no love or loyality towards him, but that argument is just bad.

I'm not ignoring the year he had with us, I just only used stats from years where he played more than 20 games.

Because our backup should play around 25 games this year.

 

[diceman934]

I'm not ignoring the year he had with us, I just only used stats from years where he played more than 20 games.

Because our backup should play around 25 games this year.

Our back up is not playing 25 games nor should he. 20 games is Likely the most as Babcock has always rode his starter and most top NHL teams do.

For me I keep Picard over Sparks as in my opinion is more capable of being a starter in the NHL if a injury happens to Our starter.

I am not sold on Sparks being anything more then a backup in the NHL and even then I am not sure he can do this well enough to allow him to play 20 games. His save selection is still poor as is his ability to track pucks. You move him east west and he is a below average goalie and thus far have not seen anything to change my mind. I do admit that I watch a limited amount of Marlie games but when I did I seen that his issues are still the same.

 

[Menzinger]

Our back up is not playing 25 games nor should he. 20 games is Likely the most as Babcock has always rode his starter and most top NHL teams do.

For me I keep Picard over Sparks as in my opinion is more capable of being a starter in the NHL if a injury happens to Our starter.

I am not sold on Sparks being anything more then a backup in the NHL and even then I am not sure he can do this well enough to allow him to play 20 games. His save selection is still poor as is his ability to track pucks. You move him east west and he is a below average goalie and thus far have not seen anything to change my mind. I do admit that I watch a limited amount of Marlie games but when I did I seen that his issues are still the same.

Andersen looked absolutely wiped out by the end of the season, and I think his playoff performance suffered as a result. I do hope they reduce the work his workload and number of games played.

 

[Menzinger]

So you ignore the year he had with us, but bring up stats from 7 years ago on a different team? That...is weird. Even looking at those numbers he got better as time went on. I am all for trading him, I feel no love or loyality towards him, but that argument is just bad.

Though if you look at last year in comparison to the rest of his career is clearly an outlier. Can’t really ignore that... Very few players in the league find their game in their late 30s.

 

[tmlfan98]

Our back up is not playing 25 games nor should he. 20 games is Likely the most as Babcock has always rode his starter and most top NHL teams do.

For me I keep Picard over Sparks as in my opinion is more capable of being a starter in the NHL if a injury happens to Our starter.

I am not sold on Sparks being anything more then a backup in the NHL and even then I am not sure he can do this well enough to allow him to play 20 games. His save selection is still poor as is his ability to track pucks. You move him east west and he is a below average goalie and thus far have not seen anything to change my mind. I do admit that I watch a limited amount of Marlie games but when I did I seen that his issues are still the same.

I'm operating under the assumption that Babs is smart enough to realize that if he rides Andersen like he did last year it may not bode well for the playoffs, which for this team, is literally all that matters this year.

 

[diceman934]

I'm operating under the assumption that Babs is smart enough to realize that if he rides Andersen like he did last year it may not bode well for the playoffs, which for this team, is literally all that matters this year.

You should operate under history of Babcock coaching. When he has a clear number on he plays them as such.

We would also want home ice advantage through the playoffs as it allows us to dictate matchups and help in our success come playoff time.

 

[tmlfan98]

You should operate under history of Babcock coaching. When he has a clear number on he plays them as such.

We would also want home ice advantage through the playoffs as it allows us to dictate matchups and help in our success come playoff time.

Andersen played 66 games last year. I highly doubt that playing him in 5-10 less games would result in us throwing away home ice advantage, especially considering the team we have now compared to last year.

Also, I feel like a more rested Freddy would be more helpful in the playoffs than more home ice advantage anyways.

 

[Derekhanna89]

Though if you look at last year in comparison to the rest of his career is clearly an outlier. Can’t really ignore that... Very few players in the league find their game in their late 30s.

While I agree,a new system and players changes a lot. Like I said, i have no problem getting rid of him, the logic of using stats from 7 years ago was my only issue.

 

[Brown Dog]

I'm not convinced Andersen isn't a guy who plays best when he's busy.

Remember he always sucks at the start of the year when, theoretically at least, he should be most rested.

 

[Kiwi]

I'm not convinced Andersen isn't a guy who plays best when he's busy.

Remember he always sucks at the start of the year when, theoretically at least, he should be most rested.

Andersen is wildly inconsistent from month to month but he noticeably dropped off late last season and looked like he was being overworked, a lot like Hainsey

Even though we had a backup playing out of his mind we still ran Andersen into the ground with a playoff spot wrapped up

Andersen should'nt be playing more than 55 games and year in the regular season if last season is any guide

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Babcock almost always favours the veteran talent, in order for a younger player to take a job he has to blow the veteran player out of the warter, we know this.

This means that chances are it's Mcbackup's job, and if not him then it's Pickard since Pickard has real NHL experience.

 

[biotk]

Babcock went to the Stanley cup finals in 2008 and 2009 with a starter who played 43 games and 46 games respectively. Babs had never had a goalie face more than 1849 shots in the regular season before Freddie (who faced 2211 last year and 2052 the year before).

 

[biotk]

Babcock almost always favours the veteran talent, in order for a younger player to take a job he has to blow the veteran player out of the warter, we know this.

This means that chances are it's Mcbackup's job, and if not him then it's Pickard since Pickard has real NHL experience.

It is not just Babs' decision.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It is not just Babs' decision.

It's a lineup decision it is Babcock's decision

 

[biotk]

It's a lineup decision it is Babcock's decision

Nope. Babcock controls which of the goalies on his roster gets to start and which is the backup. Dubas controls which goalies are on Babcock's roster in the first place.

Pretty hard for Bab's to play McBackup if Dubas trades him or places him on waivers.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Nope. Babcock controls which of the goalies on his roster gets to start and which is the backup. Dubas controls which goalies are on Babcock's roster in the first place.

Pretty hard for Bab's to play McBackup if Dubas trades him or places him on waivers.

If Babcock wants Mcbackup on the team he will be on the team, this idea that Kyle would trade or waive Mcbackup without Babcock signing off on it is ridiculous, he wouldn't do that, he can't do that, Shanny is not allowing that, the machine works because the parts work together.

Dubas isn't going to trade or waive Mcbackup unless Babcock is on board

 

[Pyrophorus]

Dubas isn't going to trade or waive Mcbackup unless Babcock is on board

Stop this.
Babcock isn't the GM, he has input but at the end of the day, its Dubas' moves that impact
the team. A lot of the guys he rested on, are gone, and if Curtis is next, he is next.
I'm all in favour of giving the 24 and 26 year old a chance-and trust them more with a bigger
workload, which they have to have.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Stop this.
Babcock isn't the GM, he has input but at the end of the day, its Dubas' moves that impact
the team. A lot of the guys he rested on, are gone, and if Curtis is next, he is next.
I'm all in favour of giving the 24 and 26 year old a chance-and trust them more with a bigger
workload, which they have to have.

If you think he will waive Mcbackup without Babcock signing off on it AND Shanny too you are out of your mind.

Dubas has had a great month but at the end of the day he's still Kyle Dubas and Mike Babcock is still Mike Babcock and that is not the same thing.

One of them has real credibility, the other is still trying to earn it.

If Babcock wants Mcbackup he's going to be on the team

 

[biotk]

If Babcock wants Mcbackup on the team he will be on the team, this idea that Kyle would trade or waive Mcbackup without Babcock signing off on it is ridiculous, he wouldn't do that, he can't do that, Shanny is not allowing that, the machine works because the parts work together.

Dubas isn't going to trade or waive Mcbackup unless Babcock is on board

This is the kind of pure nonsense that Shanahan had to dispel when he had his press conference announcing Dubas as the GM. Dubas is the GM, Babcock is not.

Yes, Babcock is going to say what and who he wants, but Babcock's goal is to win the next game. It is Dubas' responsibility to think about the end of the season, and the next season and the season after that. If Babcock wants to keep a 35 year old goalie (coming off a season that is astronomically unlikely to repeated) over a 25 year old goalie (who just won goalie of the year in the AHL, and had the third lowest GAA in a decade, and would be snapped up in a second on waivers) because "tie goes to the veteran" then he should be ignored, and any good GM would do so.

 

[Krylian]

I've heard that Sparks is an odd character and Babcock doesn't really like dealing with weirdos so I'd be a little surprised is we see Sparks on the Leafs. I think it's more likely that he gets dealt to a team that runs into injury problems in the fall.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I think they go with Andy and McB until McB falters

 

[Menzinger]

In case it hadn’t been mentioned, Mirtle said on latest Leafs report podcast that other teams have said that Picard is on the market.