The Toronto Maple Leafs open training camp for the 2015-16 season with medicals and media availability on Thursday at the Mastercard Center in Etobicoke, ON before heading to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a weekend of on-ice sessions prior to the start of the eight-game exhibition schedule with split-squad games against the Ottawa Senators next Monday.
The club under new head coach Mike Babcock will have a new philosophy that many players who are holdovers from the Randy Carlyle era will have to adjust to if they hope to be part of the future in Toronto. Here is a preview of what the Leafs will head to camp with at each position and what can be expected when Babcock and new GM Lou Lamoriello cut down to 23 players in a few weeks.
Goaltending
Jonathan Bernier – The Leafs starting goalie was re-signed to a two-year, $8.3 Million contract after being taken to salary arbitration during the summer. Bernier’s numbers win-loss, goals against and save percentage were all down from his first season in Toronto, but that was more a symptom of a flawed team defense and the horrific second half performance than anything.
The 27-year-old started 58 games will be expected to handle the majority of the Leafs starts (between 60 to 65 games) to provide Lamoriello and Babcock enough evidence that the former LA Kings first rounder can handle the workload of a #1 NHL goalie and be the backbone of the Leafs during their transition and into the future.
James Reimer – Reimer enters his sixth season with the Leafs as the backup to Bernier, after a second straight season with a goals-against-average over 3.00, a losing record and a declining save percentage.
The Morweena, MB native believes that he is an NHL starting goalie and will likely not re-sign with Toronto when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, but will have to perform better in limited starts to draw interest from other NHL clubs near the trade deadline.
Depth Options – The Leafs have three goaltenders in their minor league system around the same age with similar pro experience and are looking for 22-year-olds Garret Sparks, Christopher Gibson or 21-year-old Antoine Bibeau have a breakout season.
Sparks had injury problems early last season and spent most of the year with the ECHL Orlando Solar Bears after being the primary backup with the Marlies two years ago. Gibson took over as the top goalie for the Marlies down the stretch as the AHL affiliate battled for a playoff spot, but faltered in the first round series vs Grand Rapids and was replaced by Bibeau to start the deciding game.
Bibeau was named the Outstanding Goaltender in the 2014 Memorial Cup and showed promise as a rookie for the struggling Marlies (15-10-5, 2.69 GAA), but head coach Gord Dineen opted to go with the more experienced Gibson late in the season and into the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The trio of goalies may benefit from the addition of new goaltending coach Steve Briere and a fresh evaluation from Lamoriello, but in the end the netminder who will be best positioned to move up to the Leafs once Reimer is traded or leaves via free agency will be based on who performs best.
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There were many indications last spring that Dion Phaneuf would have preferred to be moved by Toronto before the trade deadline last March, but the Leafs team captain stated that he has never asked for a trade.
“No, I never have and I won’t,” Phaneuf said to
TSN’s Jonas Siegel on Tuesday.
The Leafs defenseman is on board with the new direction of the club under Brendan Shanahan and Mike Babcock and wants to be part of the rebuilding process.
Most of the speculation regarding the 30-year-old defenseman was interest from the Detroit Red Wings coached by Babcock, who eventually settled on swapping for veteran Marek Zidlicky for their playoff run instead of yielding to Toronto’s asking price, which included highly regarded prospect Anthony Mantha.
See Previous Columns
Skill On Display; Leafs Announce Camp Additions, Broadcast Schedule
Kapanen Keeping It Real, Sunday News and Notes
First Impressions Of Leafs Prospects At Rookie Tournament
Swedes In Stereo; Sundin Joins Salming On Legend’s Row
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