tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Do The Leafs Need A Veteran Goalie??

With the trade deadline next Wednesday, the Toronto sports talk radio stations were buzzing about whether or not the Maple Leafs need to acquire a veteran goalie. Tuesday there was all kinds of talk about the Leafs going after Miikka Kiprusoff. That was squashed that evening when it was reported that Kiprusoff would not report to a new team. But the discussion continues.

While it may make some sense to acquire a veteran, the question becomes who is available and at what cost? In the beginning of the season, there was plenty of talk about trading for Roberto Luongo. Where would the Leafs be if they made that trade which may have required Toronto to part with Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak and more. There was a suggestion that the Leafs should look into acquiring Nikolai Khabibulin but at what cost?

The Toronto young goaltending tandem of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played a part in bringing the Leafs very close to securing a playoff spot for the first time since the 2003-2004 season. What I find interesting is the criticism that is heaped on these two youngsters. Every goal allowed is dissected and heaven forbid there is a bad one. Has Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy or Henrik Lundqvist ever let in a bad goal?

As Coach Randy Carlyle has said over and over, the goalies need to give the team a chance to win. Based on that expectation, Reimer and Scrivens have succeeded. For that reason, I don't believe that the Leafs need to make a move on a goalie. It would seem to me that the team would be much better off trying to acquire another veteran defenseman or an accomplished forward who have some playoff experience. If the Leafs are able to maintain their success in penalty killing and not forget the need to be defensively responsible, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have shown that they can handle goaltending duties.

Tonight Toronto takes on Carolina at the ACC. The Hurricanes have had the Leafs number this season but will be without goaltender Cam Ward. Carolina is 0-4-1 in their last five starts. This is a game that the Leafs must win to solidify their playoff position, particularly with an upcoming schedule that includes at Ottawa on Saturday, Philadelphia at home on Thursday and at New Jersey on Saturday April 6th. The following week the Leafs will have a back-to-back series with the eighth place New York Rangers.

Puck drop is 7pm.