The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to add organizational depth between the pipes with only Jonathan Bernier, Garret Sparks and Antoine Bibeau in the system after this season and according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, they are the leading contender to sign 23-year-old SHL goaltender Mantas Armalis.
The 6’4…, 198 lb Lithuanian-born Armalis began at the developmental levels in Sweden at 15 and posted a 2.42 GAA and .918 save percentage this season with Djurgardens, but is also being pursued by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Report: Maple Leafs front-runner for Lithuanian goaltender Mantas Armalis https://t.co/Epxg5qQTcy pic.twitter.com/YVbichJ1r3
— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) March 20, 2016
The Leafs have a number of options this summer to improve themselves in goal. They could select a young netminder with one of their 12 picks at the NHL Draft in Buffalo, they also may explore the trade market with the potential of an expansion draft looming and teams looking to move one of their stockpile before they lose them for nothing.
Toronto may have other irons in the fire besides Armalis. Yale University goalie Alex Lyon (one of the 10 finalists for the 2016 Hobey Baker Award) attended the Leafs rookie camp last July and could be a target for many NHL teams after the Bulldogs are eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
A foray into goaltending free agency is nothing new for Toronto. Former GM Brian Burke signed Jonas Gustavsson at 24 years old in 2009 after posting numbers far superior to Armalis in the Swedish Elite League, but "the Monster" has never lived up to the hype or the nickname in seven NHL seasons with Toronto, Detroit and Boston.
Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens and Finnish product Jussi Rynnas were signed in 2010. Scrivens reached the Calder Cup Final with the Marlies in 2012 and has been successful as a backup and spot starter with the Leafs, Kings, Oilers and Canadiens, while Rynnas played three NHL games during five seasons in North America and is playing with Ak-Bars Kazan in the KHL.
Signing a free agent goalie is a low risk venture for GM Lou Lamoriello and the Leafs scouting under Mark Hunter has been more successful in finding diamonds in the rough like Nikita Soshnikov, but it is likely that the club will not stop with Armalis in addressing their need in net.
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The Tampa Tribune’s Ira Kaufman put forth an interesting look at the Steven Stamkos situation and how Newport Sports Management’s reputation for making benchmark deals could be a contributing factor to where the 26-year-old superstar center signs with this summer.
Newport represents over 100 players, including defenseman PK Subban (the league’s highest paid blueliner after signing an eight-year, $72 Million deal), Henrik Lundqvist (the highest paid goalie at $8.5 Million per season) and former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards, who signed a nine-year, $60 Million deal with the Rangers in 2011.
Stamkos could eclipse Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews as the highest paid player in the NHL on the open market controls or he could re-sign with Tampa. Either eventuality is possible with Newport, but other factors are at play with the Markham, ON native.
“Very often, when a player gets to free agency, there are all kinds of considerations, both professional and personal. ‘Does he have family in the community? Does he enjoy the organization and the coaching staff? What is the club’s salary cap situation?’… Meehan said. “We pride ourselves in giving our clients a balanced view of the marketplace.…
Cases can be made based on that criteria for Stamkos staying in Florida or being the most impactful free agent addition to the Maple Leafs since the signing of Curtis Joseph in 1998, who coincidentally was represented by Meehan.
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