the Leaf Goalie Debate, Discussion etc etc

[Tyler Biggs*]

In the post game Darren Pang said he thought Reimer might have found his niche as an energetic backup. He is probably right. Caryle probably has been now able to put the whole mess behind us now with his he (Reimer) played ok comments last night again which was a good move on his part to have it end with a chuckle .... obviously Bernier is the number 1 but what is wrong with having a backup who can step in any time.
Has his own style. Plays his heart out. Takes his lumps. Keeps that boyish smile and doesn't hide from the press or camera. But even more important , he comes up big just when you think he might be getting in trouble. Great game Reims. Reimer was unreal, no game in 3 weeks and he stones them.

 

[Ratboy]

Bernier for 5 million per for the next few years or say Reimer for 3ish?

Management made up their mind long term as soon as they made the initial trade for Bernier, but it does give one something to think about.

Bernier has been the better goalie, but Reimer could likely be had for a lot cheaper and provide relatively close to the same level of play....

You can't be serious. Reimer played well the other night but, no.

 

[WordsOfWisdumb*]

You can't be serious. Reimer played well the other night but, no.

(Nobody reads page 29 anyway but.....)

Question: Does any young goalie ever truly accept a backup role?

 

[Menzinger]

You can't be serious. Reimer played well the other night but, no.

I'm quite serious. Bernier has been the better of the two - but their stats really aren't that far apart - especially when you factor in how much Carlyle has favoured Bernier in terms of starts.

I'm not necessarily advocating dumping one for the other just yet (and as mentioned, management and Carlyle have clearly picked Bernier as their guy) - but it's still an interesting debate to be had.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Why can't people just be happy we have two great goalies instead of Bernier vs Reimer? And we are lucky to have them both!

 

[Suntouchable13]

I'm quite serious. Bernier has been the better of the two - but their stats really aren't that far apart - especially when you factor in how much Carlyle has favoured Bernier in terms of starts.

I'm not necessarily advocating dumping one for the other just yet (and as mentioned, management and Carlyle have clearly picked Bernier as their guy) - but it's still an interesting debate to be had.

I'd rather have Bernier at 5+. I don't think there is a debate to be had there. You get what you pay for. If Leafs go on the cheap with Reimer and trade Bernier, they will be sorry.

Also, why would you expect Reimer to provide you with relatively the same level of goaltending? Since Bernier came to Toronto, his numbers are clearly superior. There is no way right now I trust Reimer to be my #1 going forward. They could have just ran with him after the lockout shortened season (I would have been fine with that, at the time, but not now after what I have seen since), but they decided to trade for Berny. You can't go back now, especially now that Bernier has proven to be better.

 

[Ratboy]

You don't cheap out on goaltenders, especially potentially elite ones like Bernier.

 

[yubbers]

Yes

Let's trade Bernier and keep the guy we couldn't give away

Solid plan

 

[mikeyz]

Why can't people just be happy we have two great goalies instead of Bernier vs Reimer? And we are lucky to have them both!

Most of us are happy. It's just the Reimer fanboys on here can't come to grips with the fact that Bernier is the better goalie and the undisputed #1 on the team.

 

[mikeyz]

Yes

Let's trade Bernier and keep the guy we couldn't give away

Solid plan

It's unreal in here sometimes eh?

Reimer has 1 decent start and all of a sudden there's a goalie controversy in Toronto.

Thank god Bernier played well tonight to shut that talk up for at least 1 day.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Bernier.

I've got no problem trading Riemer but ONLY if we get the proper value for him.

Or else, just keep them both. I get that Riemer 'wants to be a starter'. Welp, if we can't trade him for proper value just keep him he's good.

 

[AuGsY]

.964, .970, .957 for Bernier's last 3 starts. Amazing.

 

[crump]

From the globe...

"James Reimer had been expected to start for Toronto after excelling Wednesday in Detroit but he tweaked his groin in practice."

Really? All the panel discussion last night talked about how this was a positive signal to Bernier that he is your number one guy, playing in Hackey Night in Canada, big audience on TV and home important points against eastern conference team etc. and he was actually an injury fill in? Ok maybe that's harsh, but was Carlyle actually going to play Reimer after Bernier had been so solid in his last week of games? I know Reimer played lights out in Detroit, but you have to pick one now, you are getting too far into the season to screw around with confidence.

I know it's good having 2 goalies who can play, but you have to let one roll with it now, and Bernier has earned that. Reimer has had some pretty brutal games, where Bernier had let some softies in at the start of the season, but has been great his past 6 games or so.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Always been a fan of Reims....a better goalie then he is given credit for...you might not like his style , but it works...remember guys like Hasek, Thomas...their own style and it worked.

 

[WordsOfWisdumb*]

From the globe...

"James Reimer had been expected to start for Toronto after excelling Wednesday in Detroit but he tweaked his groin in practice."

Really? All the panel discussion last night talked about how this was a positive signal to Bernier that he is your number one guy, playing in Hackey Night in Canada, big audience on TV and home important points against eastern conference team etc. and he was actually an injury fill in? Ok maybe that's harsh, but was Carlyle actually going to play Reimer after Bernier had been so solid in his last week of games? I know Reimer played lights out in Detroit, but you have to pick one now, you are getting too far into the season to screw around with confidence.

I know it's good having 2 goalies who can play, but you have to let one roll with it now, and Bernier has earned that. Reimer has had some pretty brutal games, where Bernier had let some softies in at the start of the season, but has been great his past 6 games or so.

Backups play too you know. Based on what you're saying, Bernier has to play 82 games to avoid hurting his confidence.

Having Reimer play the second game in back-to-back games makes sense. He needs the work and Bernier will need rest. Reimer should have played today vs LA because it's the right thing to do. Then you go back to Bernier for another string of 6 or 7 games (provided none of them are back-to-back).

You're making it more complicated than it is.

 

[FerrisRox]

I'm quite serious. Bernier has been the better of the two - but their stats really aren't that far apart - especially when you factor in how much Carlyle has favoured Bernier in terms of starts.

I'm not necessarily advocating dumping one for the other just yet (and as mentioned, management and Carlyle have clearly picked Bernier as their guy) - but it's still an interesting debate to be had.

There is zero debate and the numbers and the results clearly reflect that.

 

[Ratboy]

Always been a fan of Reims....a better goalie then he is given credit for...you might not like his style , but it works...remember guys like Hasek, Thomas...their own style and it worked.

Reimer is more Thomas than Hasek. Hasek was a freak of nature who practiced all of his strange and effective moves.

People won't like what I'm about to say, but even through his great game against Detroit there were numerous instances where his initial hunches on the save he should employ were risky, or eliminated himself from the play, the D bailed him out on those occasions.

That's my issue with Reimer, in a way he's kind of a microcosm of this team, you never know which game you'll get out of them. Sometimes it's great, other times it's a **** show.

 

[WordsOfWisdumb*]

There is zero debate and the numbers and the results clearly reflect that.

Says page 29 of this thread.

 

[81Reasons]

Reimer is more Thomas than Hasek. Hasek was a freak of nature who practiced all of his strange and effective moves.

People won't like what I'm about to say, but even through his great game against Detroit there were numerous instances where his initial hunches on the save he should employ were risky, or eliminated himself from the play, the D bailed him out on those occasions.

That's my issue with Reimer, in a way he's kind of a microcosm of this team, you never know which game you'll get out of them. Sometimes it's great, other times it's a **** show.

Considering it was 3 weeks between games I can over look that. My problem with this whole debate/discussion is that at this point its all about pounding Reimer into the ground as if he never had any level of success with this team. I agree the #1 choice is Bernier, but it's unfair to judge/critique Reimer based on playing a game here and a game there (especially if they are always the 2nd game of a back o back). If his number one problem is consistency (fair argument) it is crazy to expect that under this scenario he is going to overcome that, when in reality it exacerbates the problem.

Despite all of this he has decent numbers this year even including playing in back to back massacres (Buf/Nsh).

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Getting great goaltending of late. James Reimer is the man in shootouts.

 

[colchar]

From the globe...

"James Reimer had been expected to start for Toronto after excelling Wednesday in Detroit but he tweaked his groin in practice."

Really? All the panel discussion last night talked about how this was a positive signal to Bernier that he is your number one guy, playing in Hackey Night in Canada, big audience on TV and home important points against eastern conference team etc. and he was actually an injury fill in? Ok maybe that's harsh, but was Carlyle actually going to play Reimer after Bernier had been so solid in his last week of games? I know Reimer played lights out in Detroit, but you have to pick one now, you are getting too far into the season to screw around with confidence.

I know it's good having 2 goalies who can play, but you have to let one roll with it now, and Bernier has earned that. Reimer has had some pretty brutal games, where Bernier had let some softies in at the start of the season, but has been great his past 6 games or so.

Bernier has had some bad outings too and has let in a bunch of early goals.

Reimer deserved the start after beating the Wings, but obviously the groin tweak made that a moot point.

 

[IAmBobo]

Reimer is the BEST!

 

[hoglund]

Reimer is the BEST!

Bernier is good too, I think this is why this debate has lasted for so long and yes for Reimer haters, this is STILL a debate.

 

[ConnorTO]

one clear thing Reims is gold in the shootout

i remember his first season in pre season i recall
there was a shootout that lasted a long time which he participated

 

[Menzinger]

33 stops against one of the leagues tops teams. Think calling Reimer a backup level goaltender at this point is a bit silly.