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Maple Leafs Lou Lamoriello: The Goalie Whisperer |
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Looking over the Maple Leafs off-season check list, it’s almost complete and in perfect order.
First Toronto was able to have lady luck cooperate and the ping pong balls bounced in Toronto’s favor giving them first overall pick, and they will be drafting none other than Auston Matthews on Friday night. What an epic moment it will be in Maple Leafs history when Lamoriello, Shanahan, Babcock and Hunter select Matthews in the Maple Leafs 100th season in the National Hockey League.
The Leafs will host the first-ever NHL Centennial Classic at BMO Field in Toronto on January first against the Detroit Red Wings.
After winning the first selection for the 2016 Draft, Toronto also scooped up KHL Defensemen Nikita Zaitsev. Whenever you are able to attract a much wanted free agent for nothing but salary dollars, it’s a great moment when they pick your team and sign.
Then the hunt continued for the Maple Leafs number one goalie, which can be one of the most difficult positions to fill as we all know the goalie is the last line of defense and the glue to the team when they are having a bad game.
Back in January I wrote a blog about “Fixing the Most Glaring Need in the Maple Leafs Organization: Goaltending”. If you were wise enough to read my two cents back then, you will have taken note that I mention that Andersen is exactly who the Leafs should be going after “Andersen comes in at 6’4” and 220 pounds. He’s 26 years of age and is exactly who I think the Leafs should go after.”
It’s always nice when you have your eye on a target and it pans out as you hoped. I’m thrilled with the addition of Frederik Andersen and I’m not at all worried about the five year contract that Toronto signed the Denmark born goaltender.
If there is one thing Lamoriello likes on his teams, it’s a quality goaltender. With Brodeur for years and trading for Schneider after, it was just a matter of time before the trigger was pulled.
Andersen has played very well for the Ducks over the past three seasons and has 125 regular season games under his belt as well as 28 playoff games. He has a decent amount of experience for a 1A-B goalie as he split time with John Gibson in Anaheim.
The Ducks started the 2015/16 playoffs with Gibson in net and quickly found themselves back two games to none. Andersen came in and stole the next two games stopping 57 of 58 shots giving the Ducks hope against Nashville. The Ducks eventually lost in game seven, but Andersen held his own in the series posting a 1.41 GAA and a .947 save percentage with a shutout in his back pocket. You can’t ask for much more from your goaltender in a playoff series. As young as Andersen is, he has a decent amount of playoff experience and will give the Maple Leafs players a confidence boost, letting them concentrate on their game while their goaltender stops the puck on a consistent basis.
As we all wait patiently for Stamkos to hit Free Agency, you can only imagine the Leafs adding Matthews at the Draft and acquiring a number one goalie heading into the 2016/17 season helps push number 91 in the right direction, Leafs Nation.
Toronto has eleven picks remaining in the 2016 Draft, and I expect them to use one of those picks on a young goaltender. Even though the Leafs just signed Andersen, it’s always good to continually add goaltenders through the Draft; you never know when the next goaltending gem is drafted in the later rounds.
It’s amazing how far Toronto has come since last summer, a lot of new faces and a lot of young upcoming talent that excites all Maple Leafs fans. The rebuild is well underway now, as Toronto will be drafting the number one center they have so desperately need and have been seeking for since the Mats Sundin days.
A lot of stock has been put into Andersen, which to me only means a great deal of scouting and confidence by Leafs management is apparent. This is a deal they have been likely working on for quite some time, as Babcock’s face said it all on the bench as he looked at Bernier in disbelief.
It’s important to remember this isn’t the same Leafs management we are all used to. The string of quality moves is worth noting and gives hope to a great team sooner than later as it looks to be moving forward so hastily.
Which is why I am a firm believer that Steven Stamkos is going to see the future with the Maple Leafs is getting brighter by the day and his addition could be just what the team needs to make the next step forward. If Stamkos wants to come to Toronto, I don’t see him looking for a crazy deal in the twelve million dollar range per year, but something more respectable around 9-9.5 million. My reasoning is he is coming to Toronto to bring the Cup back, and will take a salary that is large and worthy, but not one that would cripple the Leafs moving forward with future additions and re-signing of teammates.
If Toronto lands Stamkos they will have themselves excellent depth down the middle for years to come and will be able to concentrate on adding the right pieces, which I can only imagine will include focusing on strengthening up the defense. With so many young talented players on both the defensive and offensive side of the puck, one or two are going to surprise and burst out for the Maple Leafs. But without question there needs to be some improvements on the back-end, and there is time and resources to be spent to do so. Patience is a must as the rebuild isn’t complete but it certainly is trending in the right direction.
General Manager Lou Lamoriello is quite happy with the direction the team is taking, and very impressed with his own management.
“What Mike (Babcock) did with our group, what our scouting staff has done, how we’ve stayed on the same page. We know what needs to be done and we’re working together to do it. I marvel at the job they did with Gardiner, the way he played. There’s still so much work to do. We have our young players like Rielly and Kadri, who are part of our core. Now we have to do work in every area to get better with everything we do.”
Exciting times ahead as things are quickly picking up in the NHL, be sure to keep an eye out for any more movement before the Draft. Free Agency will begin July 1st and the thought of Stamkos coming home to Toronto makes me ecstatic.
Be sure to tune in Friday when the Maple Leafs make their selection picking Auston Matthews first overall in the 2016 Draft. Saturday the remainder of the Draft will continue and we shall see what the scouting department has been narrowed in on. Hunter was excellent last year and you can bet he will be on the ball again this year with Leafs management by his side to shake the hands of a number of quality young prospects the Leafs draft.
Thanks for reading.
Blogger •Atlantic Division Writer • 
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