Toronto's Goaltending Dilemma (Who starts in the playoffs?)

[TheTotalPackage]

If healthy, you have to go with Andersen and hope for the best.

Would rather have the Leafs go down with their #1, than go down with either Campbell or Rittich and forever wonder how they would have fared if Andersen was in net.

 

[wingman75]

I selected Andersen.

In a perfect world this sets up the potential for an awesome redemption story. In our Leafs world this works out to be a disaster more than likely.

I feel the team has more issues than just goaltending though, but I am more confident that the other issues can be cleaned up before the end of the season.

 

[stickty111]

If all 3 goalies are healthy and on their game, you go Freddy and then make decisions after game 1.

 

[stickty111]

Lou does

How do you explain Andersen then? He has failed in every playoffs. Lou brought him in.

 

[Anthrax442]

Andersen ainec

 

[m1ker]

Two weeks ago I would have said something different but we need a nice fairy tale story from Anderson if we have any hopes of winning. I hope the failure of the backups will push Anderson's confidence back.

 

[Gary Nylund]

How do you explain Andersen then? He has failed in every playoffs. Lou brought him in.

Andersen's the best goalie we've had since Belfour. He was very good in some playoffs, less good in others but to say "he failed" is a joke.

It's a team game, if the team had played a bit better they could have won the last 3 series they played. Or do you think everyone but Andersen played to their maximum potential in every series?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

We need to see what Andersen has before throwing him to the wolves in the playoffs.

 

[Gabriel426]

Whoever is playing good at that time should start

 

[DarkKnight]

Andersen's the best goalie we've had since Belfour. He was very good in some playoffs, less good in others but to say "he failed" is a joke.

It's a team game, if the team had played a bit better they could have won the last 3 series they played. Or do you think everyone but Andersen played to their maximum potential in every series?

Your first sentence is beyond debate. For that reason, while I get the discomfort, or lack of confidence he can get us to the promised land, he's still a bonafide number 1 and the most proven commodity we have out of all the options. He was obviously playing hurt, so that affected his play. Last year he was uneven and failed to get the job done when needed, so questions are more than justified. Campbell has looked great, but never been able to take the reigns and obviously Rittich is no firm answer in goal. Those that danced on Fred's grave seem less bouncy of late and who knows it could be a great story, Andersen comes back in against all odds and goes on a run (which is he is more than capable of) and looks a hero.

I just want a cup, this team is the best we've assembled, so I'm hoping all options are available. Get well soon Fred.

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

#freehutchison

 

[Once]

Freddy until he proves otherwise -- its still his net. I think the team will benefit from the healthy competition in net.

 

[Mats13]

Jack Campbell is 11-2-1 with a 0.917 save% and he’s top 10 in the league in goals saved above expected

He’s had a couple of bad games but he should be winning this poll by a landslide

Andersen has sucked for over a year and a half, he’s no solution

 

[Gary Nylund]

Your first sentence is beyond debate. For that reason, while I get the discomfort, or lack of confidence he can get us to the promised land, he's still a bonafide number 1 and the most proven commodity we have out of all the options. He was obviously playing hurt, so that affected his play. Last year he was uneven and failed to get the job done when needed, so questions are more than justified. Campbell has looked great, but never been able to take the reigns and obviously Rittich is no firm answer in goal. Those that danced on Fred's grave seem less bouncy of late and who knows it could be a great story, Andersen comes back in against all odds and goes on a run (which is he is more than capable of) and looks a hero.

I just want a cup, this team is the best we've assembled, so I'm hoping all options are available. Get well soon Fred.

I agree that Andersen was uneven last season. However, I may be in the minority here but I thought he was one of our best players in the playoffs. Our offence failed us, shut out twice in 5 games and shut out for over 55 minutes in a third game tells the story IMHO. He wasn't as good as his .936 SV% would suggest but he was good enough to win and he was a lot better then we can reasonably expect to see this time around no matter who it is that ends up in net for us.

This team is the best we've assembled if you don't include goaltending in the equation. If you do include goaltending, our cup chances this time around are near zero. Our goaltending is such a big question mark that I'm less optimistic then I was going in the last three years. It's possible someone steps up, miracles do happen but realistically we're a massive long shot to win the cup at this point.

 

[leafsfan5]

No idea, if Campbell turns it around play him. If he continues to struggle hope Freddy somehow figures it out like Holtby in 2018

 

[Chief keefe]

The injuries we have right now will actually let us bring Freddy in early and have him get a few games. I expect him to save the day and be the Freddy we fell in love with a few years back. I want to chant his name again. Him and Soup are going to carry us to the glory land. Rittich? No he has very poor structure to his game. Our goalie coach needs to work on some of his technique for sure. Both Freddy and Jack have good technique and structure they’re just not mentally as strong as they need to be. Those two needs to sit together and motivate and work on being elite as a tandem. That will be how we win. Push eachother and remind eachother of certain techniques when you see them doing someone wrong. I believe in Jack to help Freddy

 

[Cobra777]

So what’s with every Goalie getting worse when they play for us. Does the team seriously have to look at who’s the Goaltending Coach and fire his arse. They get worse when they get here. Why? Something is seriously wrong. These guys are head cases in no time after coming to Toronto.

Much truth to this and yet other goalies get this magic iron curtain when they play us as well.

 

[Cobra777]

Leafs are currently struggling to beat non playoff teams in their division losing to Van, Calgary and Ottawa recently with their current goaltending of Campbell, Rittich and Hutch.

No doubt Leafs management is hoping that Andersen is back and ready to go come playoff time, but he has never advanced the Leafs beyond the 1st round in his Toronto tenure in 4 attempts so far, and his game #7 performances often the reason for the Leafs early demise.

Top part of your post yes is a very concerning trait as well as the second part. Teams that play us hard and clogg the center of the ice sends this team into turnover panic trouble mode and gasses our speed game and the coaching staff seems to have no effective counter to this.

 

[Stephen]

Could always roll he dice on Veini Vehvilainen.

 

[The Blueprint]

Hopefully they all go down and Ayers comes in

 

[TheDoldrums]

Right now its Campbell AINEC

We don't have the cap room to activate Freddy before the playoffs. Throwing him out there as a .897 goalie coming off a long injury seems insane.

If Campbell struggles in the playoffs then we can try it in desperation.

 

[crump]

I would be ok with Campbell, he’s having a bit of a bad stretch here, but give him a chance to grab that Starter position for the playoffs.

Andersen isn’t totally out of the picture though. If it was indeed a concussion he had, he should be back in time for the playoffs, but even 100% healthy, I am not feeling great about Andersen.

Let’s hope Campbell really cleans things up and is confident going forward. I have a suspicion that Andersen will end up back in net though.

 

[Cobra777]

It's not only that we spent 40M on 4 forwards. It's also that right after we signed the Marner and Matthews contracts, the cap went flat. The idea was that as time went by, the 40M on 4 forwards would look cheaper and cheaper, but with the flat cap, this will no longer be the case and we will have problems building a well rounded team, unless our entry level contract players can step up and fill the void.

Yes you are correct and also these players we have are very gifted offense but lack that battle at all cost mentality, when the going gets tough the tough get going, I'll battle for you and you for me and its is apparent. AM has gotten way better in this as his 200 ft game is much better but when other teams play super physical, clog the center ice and are tenacious on the puck, we have no counter or will to beat this and the guys make bad plays under pressure forcing stuff that is taken away causing numerous turnovers and scoring chances the other way, it takes our speed game away because our D is under pressure getting the puck out of our zone with those flowing counter passes. I have noticed other teams tighten their gaps on the puck all over the ice not letting our team breathe and time again it is effective against our team with the most talent being in 4 or 5 guys and then drops substantially due to cap issues and the types of players we have with that lack of perseverance mentality to fight through those systems played against us.

In all out run and gun hockey our team would shine, but many teams can't compete with us in that type of game so they resort to the smother and tenacious fore check game which nullifies alot of our skill making the game for them winnable

 

[ChickenMcNugget]

Andersen no question.

I like Campbell he is a great goalie but to me he is still developing on the mental side of things. He needs to gets more games in and develop more confidence. You can maybe make the case the Campbell has more ability but as of now I trust Andersen more to handle the ebbs and flow of the playoffs and remain level headed.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Lou Lam definitely does

Freddy has been the answer?