In the latest episode of the Chris Johnston Show , Chris Johnston and Julian McKenzie discussed the Toronto Maple Leafs after another first-round exit at the hands of the Boston Bruins.
When they discussed the team’s goaltending, Johnston brought up Joseph Woll’s injury history and how the organization will look into his training and body to figure out how to reduce injuries going forward. McKenzie then asked, “Do you think the Leafs will still be confident enough in him to be their number one next year? Do you see them saying, ‘Hey, let’s get a veteran in the offseason to kind of work in tandem with him?'”
Johnston quickly replied, “I think they are probably getting two veterans; that would be my calculation. I mean, [Ilya] Samsonov, Martin Jones, and Matt Murray are all pending UFAs. Now it’s possible that one of those players is back; it’s too soon to say one way or the other that way, but I would think they’re signing at least two veteran goaltenders with some NHL track record. One of them will be slotted unofficially in the number three spot.”
This has caught the attention of Leafs Nation because, although they have a “number one,” they don’t have a true number one goalie like the New York Rangers or Bruins. The free-agent market for goaltenders is weak this offseason, so we’ll see who they target to bring in to be part of a trio with Woll.
Top Goalies Available This Summer
Cam Talbot:
Talbot spent the last season with the Los Angeles Kings. He is coming off a one-year deal with an Average Annual Value (AAV)of $1 million. Statistically, he is the best goalie set to hit the market; he had a record of 27-20-3, a 2.50 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage (SV%). The Maple Leafs could offer a one-year deal with an AVV worth around $1.5 million.
Scott Wedgewood:
Wedgewood is unlikely to leave the Dallas Stars; however, if he does, he is a perfect option for an NHL backup. He had shown that with the Stars before, specifically this season when he had a record of 16-7-0 with a 2.85 GAA and a .899 SV%. Wedgewood is 31 and may want a longer-term contract than just a year. With that, the Maple Leafs could offer him a second year with the same AAV of $1 million.
Laurent Brossoit:
Brossoit is in the same position as Wedgewood; he is unlikely to leave the Winnipeg Jets since he is another near-perfect option for a backup goalie. Brossoit has Stanley Cup experience with the Vegas Golden Knights and has backed up one of the best goalies in the NHL, Connor Hellebuyck. He may be the best option for the Maple Leafs if he does hit the open market because of what he has learned from Hellebuyck. He had a record of 15-5-3 with a 2.00 GAA and a .927 SV%, which would be great for a backup to Woll. The Maple Leafs would likely offer him somewhere in the two-year range with an AAV of $2 million.
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