As was discussed earlier this week on the Steve Dangle podcast, most NHL teams are done for if they lose their starting goaltender for the season, but what most teams have to plan for is being able to survive a shorter absence with their backup or someone being called up from the minors.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs to be able to repeat their march to the post-season for a second straight year, they will have to hope that Frederik Andersen stays injury free and able to play the normal allotment of 60-65 starts that most #1 goalies make in a season.
Check out my appearance on the Steve Dangle podcast.
The former Anaheim Ducks netminder put up good numbers in his first season in Toronto (33-16-14, with a 2.67 GAA and .918 save percentage) and played in a career-high 66 games.
After Mike Babcock showed a lack of confidence in Jhonas Enroth and Antoine Bibeau, Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello claimed veteran Curtis McElhinney off of waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets and the 34-year-old finished just under .500 in 10 starts.
If Andersen is injured and out for a month or six weeks, the Leafs really do not have a suitable answer next season. It is questionable whether McElhinney can handle a starter’s workload.
In two instances with the Blue Jackets, McElhinney filled in for injured starter Sergei Bobrovsky and played around 30 games. McElhinney finished the season under .500 both years, a record which would make it difficult for Toronto to keep pace in the race for a playoff spot.
Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks has enjoyed some success in the American Hockey League, but the 24-year-old has not been durable through the majority of his professional career, with frequent groin issues.
If McElhinney or a platoon of McElhinney and Sparks cannot adequately fill in for Andersen, Toronto’s playoff hopes could be placed in the hands of second-year pro Kasimir Kaskisuo, but more than likely it would force Lamoriello to explore the trade market or waiver wire for a stop gap starter.
The Leafs signed McElhinney to a two-year, $1.7 Million contract ($850,000 AAV), well below the maximum amount that can be buried in the AHL ($1.025 Million). That gives Lamoriello some flexibility to send the veteran netminder via waivers to the Marlies to clear the spot for another goalie.
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