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Goaltending
Jack Campbell – A
The Leafs were forced due to the injury to Frederik Andersen to make Campbell the starter last March, and he never looked back, winning his first 11 starts, going 17-3-2 in the second half, and playing well in Toronto’s first-round loss to Montreal. GM Kyle Dubas believed in the 30-year-old enough to allow Andersen to leave via free agency and that belief thus far has been justified with a 21-6-3 record, 2.30 GAA, a .925 save percentage, and an All-Star nod.
Early injury troubles of Petr Mrazek forced Campbell into a heavier than anticipated workload, and he put up spectacular numbers (12-4-1, 1.64 GAA, .946 sv %) in October and November, but since December 1 he has seen a significant decline (9-2-2, 3.15 GAA, .898 sv %) which may be a result of fatigue, but also could be a symptom of the Leafs declining defensive play.
Petr Mrazek – B-
Signed to a three-year, $11.6 million deal in the summer, the former Red Wing, Flyer, and Hurricane was brought in to split the goaltending duties with Campbell as he did in with former Leaf James Reimer in Carolina. Mrazek played well in the pre-season but suffered a groin injury in his first start against Ottawa. After missing two weeks, the 29-year-old returned and defeated Detroit, but suffered a setback that forced him to miss nearly six weeks.
Since returning, Mrazek has gone 4-1-0, with a 2.50 GAA and .912 save percentage, but his real test will be forthcoming, with Toronto playing 11 games in 17 days after the All-Star break. It is likely that as was planned before the season, the Leafs will split the duties during their busy February schedule and their ability to earn points without Campbell between the pipes could be the difference between having a chance to win the Atlantic or being relegated to second-or-third place in the division.
Joseph Woll – B
Recalled in November after Michael Hutchinson struggled in two starts during Mrazek’s first stint on IR, the 23-year-old exceeded expectations, winning his first NHL start in Buffalo, his first shutout against the Islanders, and going 3-1-0 in four games. Woll suffered a knee injury in mid-January with the AHL Marlies, but his brief tryout with the Leafs may give them some hope that he can be the backup in the NHL down the road.
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