What had started out as a pretty good month of January for the Toronto Maple Leafs has ended on a losing note, after being beaten by the Tampa Bay Lightning for the third time this season.
James Reimer has been the reason for much of the success by the Leafs this month. After being called up for the first time in late December, he has gone 6-4 with a 2.24 goals against average and a .933 save percentage.
While Reimer played well again last night (though he was clearly having some issues with rebound control), his teammates simply didn't get much going during the first period and fell behind 2-0 by the end of the opening 20 minutes.
The Maple Leafs offense was so lethargic in the first period that they had been out-shot 17-4 by the 18-minute mark.
The Maple Leafs can score; we've all seen it. Mikhail Grabovski became the Leafs surprise first 20-goal scorer this season last week, and there is a relatively safe bet there will be at least four more. The trouble is, after the top five, there is a serious drop off.
In fact, the rest of the team combined may not score as many as the top five.
While this kind of ratio isn't specifically just a problem with the Toronto Maple Leafs, other teams find a way to make up for it, whether it be a star goalie or a super star forward.
So the question is, why don't the Leafs score more goals with more consistency?
The answer for this team isn't a balanced attack, there is too much that can go wrong. One injury or a couple of bad games can be catastrophic when you rely on a blanket offense.
What the Leafs need is a "ringer." They need a star.
This was the Toronto Maple Leafs fourth set of back-to-back games in this somewhat shortened month, so they can be forgiven some for their lack of energy, however. It has become more and more apparent that the temper tantrums displayed by Jonas Gustavsson this season may in fact be warranted.
It was refreshing to see a little emotion out of Phil Kessel last night as well, and captain Dion Phaneuf seems to be re-inventing himself a little as of late. While it would be more advantageous to the team if he scored more, it is great to see him leveling some of the teeth-rattling, board-buckling body checks that had been synonymous with the name Dion.
Everyone knows that Phil Kessel is a streaky scorer. Having been held off of the score sheet last night gave him his third seven-game goal-less streak of the season, which makes the total number of games that he hasn't put a puck in the net this season 33.
On the up side, that means that he has scored 19 goals in 16 games!
In all likelihood, James Reimer is on his way back to the Marlies this morning because of the NHL All-Star Break, though it is probably a safe bet that Brian Burke will be working to make a more permanent spot for him during that time.
Showing posts with label Leafs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leafs. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
James Reimer: Toronto Maple Leafs' Goalie Of The Future or Mirage?
The recent announcement that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be carrying three goaltenders on their upcoming road trip has the Leafs Nation thinking two-fold. First, given the fact that three goaltenders is a crowd, will veteran goaltender J.S. Giguere be moved? And second, if J.S. Giguere is not in the Leafs’ future plans, where do James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson fit into the equation?
Last week, Giguere told reporters that he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the Maple Leafs brass asked him to, leading to speculation that he may be on the move before the trade deadline expires.
Injuries and a mediocre season in which Giguere has posted a 9-8-3 record to go along with his .900 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average may be enough of a roadblock for contending teams to stay clear of Giguere, but given the fact that he has won a Stanley Cup and has a good reputation on and off the ice, may be enough to entice at least one team to make an offer for Giguere.
Don’t hold your breath Leaf fans, the return for Giguere will likely be small. In the end, a third round draft choice should be enough to get a deal done, or the addition of another mid-tier prospect (something the Maple Leafs have a ton of already).
Whether Giguere is dealt or not, the writing is on the wall. Either Gustavsson or Reimer look to be the Maple Leafs’ goaltender of the future.
The question is, are either of these goalies ready to take the reins and be the number one goalie in Toronto, or are the Maple Leafs putting too much faith in two very inexperienced/untested youngsters to lead them to the promised land, a.k.a “the playoffs?”
Gustavsson has been inconsistent all season, posting a 6-13-2 record to go along with his lofty 3.29 GAA and terrible .890 save percentage. A number of tough loses has caused Gustavsson to lose his temper, often causing the young Swede to slam his stick into the goal posts.
Gustavsson tends to say all the right things when interviewed by the media, but one has to wonder, is Gustavsson mature enough to play in this market? Can he be counted on in the pressure cooker that is Toronto?
Thus far, given his immature behavior, one has to think “no," Gustavsson cannot handle the pressure in Toronto. The fact is, maybe he never will. Throwing temper tantrums in front of 20,000 fans never evokes much confidence from management, or the fans for that matter.
On the other hand, James Reimer came up from the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, Toronto Marlies, and played exceptionally well, posting a 4-2 record to go along with his stingy 2.26 goals against average and superb .933 save percentage.
Six games does not make an NHL career, but Reimer’s play has a lot of Maple Leaf fans talking about him as the Blue and White’s goaltender of the future.
Maple Leaf fans have a penchant for putting too much pressure on their young players. The anointment of James Reimer as the next Johnny Bower may be yet another example where Leaf fans are expecting too much too soon.
Through 26 games, Reimer has a combined record of 14-8-2 with the Marlies this season with one shutout, a save percentage of .925 and a GAA of 2.25. Those numbers are eerily similar to the ones he has put up with the Leafs, which says something about his consistency, if nothing else.
The issue for the Maple Leafs is this: given the fact that neither goalie is a sure number one, why play Giguere at all?
Going forward, Reimer and Gustavsson should get the lion’s share of the games. There is no value of having Giguere between the pipes, as any potential suitor will not be chasing Giguere based on the next four weeks of his career, but rather what he has already done in the past.
In fact, every game Giguere plays could potentially irritate his already bad groin injury, which, in turn, could make it impossible to move the likable veteran.
Are Gustavsson or Reimer the goalies of the future? Sadly, nobody knows. It says here, it is high time the Maple Leafs found out, and if that means sitting Giguere the rest of the season, so be it.
Check out my website at www.theslapshot.com for more NHL news...for Maple Leafs news, click here.
Got a story idea? A question? Contact Me at theslapshotpucktalk@gmail.com
Until next time,
Peace!
Last week, Giguere told reporters that he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the Maple Leafs brass asked him to, leading to speculation that he may be on the move before the trade deadline expires.
Injuries and a mediocre season in which Giguere has posted a 9-8-3 record to go along with his .900 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average may be enough of a roadblock for contending teams to stay clear of Giguere, but given the fact that he has won a Stanley Cup and has a good reputation on and off the ice, may be enough to entice at least one team to make an offer for Giguere.
Don’t hold your breath Leaf fans, the return for Giguere will likely be small. In the end, a third round draft choice should be enough to get a deal done, or the addition of another mid-tier prospect (something the Maple Leafs have a ton of already).
Whether Giguere is dealt or not, the writing is on the wall. Either Gustavsson or Reimer look to be the Maple Leafs’ goaltender of the future.
The question is, are either of these goalies ready to take the reins and be the number one goalie in Toronto, or are the Maple Leafs putting too much faith in two very inexperienced/untested youngsters to lead them to the promised land, a.k.a “the playoffs?”
Gustavsson has been inconsistent all season, posting a 6-13-2 record to go along with his lofty 3.29 GAA and terrible .890 save percentage. A number of tough loses has caused Gustavsson to lose his temper, often causing the young Swede to slam his stick into the goal posts.
Gustavsson tends to say all the right things when interviewed by the media, but one has to wonder, is Gustavsson mature enough to play in this market? Can he be counted on in the pressure cooker that is Toronto?
Thus far, given his immature behavior, one has to think “no," Gustavsson cannot handle the pressure in Toronto. The fact is, maybe he never will. Throwing temper tantrums in front of 20,000 fans never evokes much confidence from management, or the fans for that matter.
On the other hand, James Reimer came up from the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, Toronto Marlies, and played exceptionally well, posting a 4-2 record to go along with his stingy 2.26 goals against average and superb .933 save percentage.
Six games does not make an NHL career, but Reimer’s play has a lot of Maple Leaf fans talking about him as the Blue and White’s goaltender of the future.
Maple Leaf fans have a penchant for putting too much pressure on their young players. The anointment of James Reimer as the next Johnny Bower may be yet another example where Leaf fans are expecting too much too soon.
Through 26 games, Reimer has a combined record of 14-8-2 with the Marlies this season with one shutout, a save percentage of .925 and a GAA of 2.25. Those numbers are eerily similar to the ones he has put up with the Leafs, which says something about his consistency, if nothing else.
The issue for the Maple Leafs is this: given the fact that neither goalie is a sure number one, why play Giguere at all?
Going forward, Reimer and Gustavsson should get the lion’s share of the games. There is no value of having Giguere between the pipes, as any potential suitor will not be chasing Giguere based on the next four weeks of his career, but rather what he has already done in the past.
In fact, every game Giguere plays could potentially irritate his already bad groin injury, which, in turn, could make it impossible to move the likable veteran.
Are Gustavsson or Reimer the goalies of the future? Sadly, nobody knows. It says here, it is high time the Maple Leafs found out, and if that means sitting Giguere the rest of the season, so be it.
Check out my website at www.theslapshot.com for more NHL news...for Maple Leafs news, click here.
Got a story idea? A question? Contact Me at theslapshotpucktalk@gmail.com
Until next time,
Peace!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Toronto Maple Leafs Surging, Goaltender James Reimer, Grabovski Are Key
With last night’s 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings the Toronto Maple Leafs have now won four of their past five matches, leading many Leaf fans to suggest that their beloved Buds are indeed turning the corner on their way to respectability.
While it is still a tad early to be throwing accolades towards the Blue and White, one cannot help but see that the Leafs now occupy 26th spot in the standings, leaving them just one point away from surpassing the Florida Panthers, which, while the Panthers still have a game in hand, would bring the Buds out of a lottery pick position.
For Leafs general manager Brian Burke, having his team finish out of a lottery position would be the first step towards that elusive respectability, both in terms of on-ice product and with regard to his many offseason moves (which were supposed to have the Maple Leafs competing for a playoff spot.
Leading the way for the Leafs has been the team’s second unit of Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin, a.k.a. “the misfits.”
Grabovski, Kulemin and MacArthur have combined for 19 points their past five games, making them one of the hottest trio’s in the entire NHL.
Another key contributor has been goaltender James Reimer, who, through five games, owns a 3-1-0 record to go along with a sparkling 1.90 goals against average and an equally impressive .945 save percentage.
Reimer’s only blemish came against the Boston Bruins on January third, in which the Leafs lost a tough one by a final score of 2-1.
Prior to being called up to the big club Reimer posted a 14-8-2 record with the Marlies. His .925 save percentage and 2.25 GAA stands out as one of the best in the AHL, this on a Marlies team that has just 19 wins on the season.
To many, Reimer’s promotion to the big club came as a surprise, but when you look over the numbers and consider his success, it was a no-brainer to bring him up, especially when you consider how inconsistent both J.S. Giguere and Jonas “don’t call me the monster” Gustavsson have been thus far.
A win tonight against the San Jose Sharks will only further Leafs Nation's confidence in their newly found diamond in the rough and give the Blue and White their fifth straight road victory.
With 41 games in the books on the season the Maple Leafs can hardly be impressed with their paltry 17 wins on the season. But as the saying goes, sometimes it’s not how you start, rather how you finish that people remember you for.
For the Maple Leafs, a strong finish will go a long way towards erasing the ugly memories of the first 41 games and get the team into a desirable position in the standings, mainly, out of a lottery position.
Until next time,
Peace!
While it is still a tad early to be throwing accolades towards the Blue and White, one cannot help but see that the Leafs now occupy 26th spot in the standings, leaving them just one point away from surpassing the Florida Panthers, which, while the Panthers still have a game in hand, would bring the Buds out of a lottery pick position.
For Leafs general manager Brian Burke, having his team finish out of a lottery position would be the first step towards that elusive respectability, both in terms of on-ice product and with regard to his many offseason moves (which were supposed to have the Maple Leafs competing for a playoff spot.
Leading the way for the Leafs has been the team’s second unit of Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin, a.k.a. “the misfits.”
Grabovski, Kulemin and MacArthur have combined for 19 points their past five games, making them one of the hottest trio’s in the entire NHL.
Another key contributor has been goaltender James Reimer, who, through five games, owns a 3-1-0 record to go along with a sparkling 1.90 goals against average and an equally impressive .945 save percentage.
Reimer’s only blemish came against the Boston Bruins on January third, in which the Leafs lost a tough one by a final score of 2-1.
Prior to being called up to the big club Reimer posted a 14-8-2 record with the Marlies. His .925 save percentage and 2.25 GAA stands out as one of the best in the AHL, this on a Marlies team that has just 19 wins on the season.
To many, Reimer’s promotion to the big club came as a surprise, but when you look over the numbers and consider his success, it was a no-brainer to bring him up, especially when you consider how inconsistent both J.S. Giguere and Jonas “don’t call me the monster” Gustavsson have been thus far.
A win tonight against the San Jose Sharks will only further Leafs Nation's confidence in their newly found diamond in the rough and give the Blue and White their fifth straight road victory.
With 41 games in the books on the season the Maple Leafs can hardly be impressed with their paltry 17 wins on the season. But as the saying goes, sometimes it’s not how you start, rather how you finish that people remember you for.
For the Maple Leafs, a strong finish will go a long way towards erasing the ugly memories of the first 41 games and get the team into a desirable position in the standings, mainly, out of a lottery position.
Until next time,
Peace!
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