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Toronto Maple Leafs: Questions Left to Be Answered in 2016

By David Morassutti

Jan 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock talks to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Brad Boyes (28) on the bench during a game against St. Louis Blues at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated St. Louis 4-1. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock talks to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Brad Boyes (28) on the bench during a game against St. Louis Blues at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated St. Louis 4-1. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Dec 29, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer makes a pad save during the third period of the Leafs 6-3 loss to New York Islanders at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

What Do They Do With Their Goalie Situation?

If someone told Leafs fans at the beginning of the season that James Reimer would outplay Jonathan Bernier for the starter’s job it would be hard to believe that considering how many did not expect Reimer to be back with the Leafs.

Now Bernier has been under the microscope because of his inconsistencies and people questioning his mental toughness when things go wrong. Reimer is an intriguing story because he is a UFA this summer and the Leafs may not see Bernier as their goalie of the future. Can the Leafs convince Reimer to stay as the starter until one of the young goalies in the AHL are ready to make the move to the NHL. Reimer has been loyal to the Leafs and he could have asked for a trade when Bernier was brought in back in 2013 but he stayed.

The Leafs would be better off cutting their losses with Bernier and giving Reimer a short-term deal at a reasonable cap hit. But the issue with that is whether or not Reimer wants to explore free agency. Hopefully the Leafs have tried to determine what Reimer wants to do at the end of the season because if he has no intention of staying then he would be the goalie to trade, but that is only if he does not intend on staying.

There are people saying that the Leafs should be patient with Bernier but he got a raise to be the starting goalie and his poor play has not given his new head coach a lot of confidence. Really it will be Babcock who will help Lamoriello make the call on what happens with the goalies moving forward because if the coach does not have the confidence of the goalie that is here then he will not stay here.

Unfortunately in Detroit Petr Mrazek beat out Jimmy Howard for the job even though Howard signed a long-term deal but his poor play forced Babcock to go with the younger better goalie. This will be one of the biggest question that Leafs management needs to answer moving forward because no matter how much the team improves with their forwards and defence it will be their goaltending that will make or break them.

Next: Morgan Rielly's Contract Situation

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