Toronto Maple Leafs: How to address the goaltender position

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a clear need at the goaltender position this off-season, but how will GM Kyle Dubas address it?

Goaltending is one of the hardest positions to solidify each season and for the Toronto Maple Leafs they have some interesting, and understandably difficult, decisions that need to be made to help the team finally progress beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Teams have had great success in the post-season thanks to the heroic performances of goaltenders throughout the years, and it’s something the Leafs themselves are desperately seeking.

With Jack Campbell’s contract expiring, the Leafs need to figure out what their goaltending tandem is going to look like in the 2022/23 season – and who will be the number one guy between the pipes.

Trade or Free Agency?

The first question the team will need to answer is whether or not they will add a goaltender via free agency, or in a trade with another NHL team.

Seeking a legitimate starting goaltender through free agency is always a gamble, though many teams have had success in this area – including the Carolina Hurricanes landing former Leaf Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta this past summer.

This summer’s crop of impending free agents leaves much to be desired, with only three players having played over half of their team’s games last season: Darcy Kuemper, Marc-André Fleury and Jack Campbell.

Kuemper is sure to be returning to the Colorado Avalanche this summer, having just lifted the Stanley Cup after an impressive debut season with the franchise, leaving the only viable starting options as Fleury and Campbell.

Campbell would be happy to return to the Leafs this season, but it will truly depend on how much money he will be expecting – having only truly been a starter since being traded to Toronto, and not having enough of a history to demand north of $4 million.

Fleury is a potential option, but he is at an advanced age (37) and he may not be the same player who helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win three cups.

Last season, Fleury posted a 28-23-5 record last season with a goals against average of 2.90 and a save percentage of .908 – not great numbers, but ones that were significantly improved after he was traded to the Minnesota Wild.

With a high-powered offence, Fleury could find himself posting improved numbers once again with another strong team in front of him – making him a genuine possibility to replace Campbell (2.64 GAA, .914 Sv%), who himself is coming off the back of a season that helped the Leafs make franchise history.

If free agency does not interest Dubas, then a trade will need to be agreed with another team – potentially opening up available options, but also increasing the cost to add.

John Gibson is a name that appears set to leave the Anaheim Ducks this summer, and the Toronto Maple Leafs could certainly be interested in acquiring a player with his experience – though it has been over three seasons since Gibson last posted a winning record with the team.

The cost of acquiring a player from another team may offset giving someone like Campbell a big contract this off-season, as their contract status will be known ahead of time, but it will be a challenge to find a package that benefits both teams enough.

Petr Mrázek’s Future?

As well as looking to acquire a genuine starter, the Toronto Maple Leafs will need to make a decision on what to do with Petr Mrázek – who is still under contract with the team for two more seasons at a cap hit of $3.8 million.

Mrázek posted a winning record (12-8-0) in his 20 games with the Leafs last season, but they came largely despite him – with a 3.34 goals against average and a save of percentage of .888 – both far below the required level even for a backup.

His cap hit and subsequent performances see the Czech goalie as a movable piece for the Leafs, though they are somewhat handicapped by his modified No-Trade Clause – where he can name ten teams that he can’t be traded to.

A decision on his future needs to be made sooner rather than later, as relieving themselves of his cap hit could go a long way to helping the Leafs bolster the roster, and having him stick around may not be the best situation for either party if he is unable to give the Leafs what they need from a backup.

There are many things for the Leafs to consider around their goaltending position, and plenty of changes could be on the horizon for the team this off-season.