There’s value in drafting a goalie just about any time you possibly can. And for the Toronto Maple Leafs – a team that has struggled to find consistency in the crease for quite some time – it’s even more true.
This year's T25 is underway, and we've covered all the unranked players from both the official and community rankings. We revealed the first three names on the official list this week There was one player unranked by each vote that was ranked by the other.
The Leafs' youngest goalie prospect enters his first T25 at spot 23, a fairly traditional goalie entrance. While he was just drafted, he is already coming up on age 20.
NHL head coaches have to hire good assistants. They have to set an overarching philosophy, juggle lineup configurations, and do the kind of “man management” that is impossible to track statistically.
When was the last time that Toronto drafted and developed a goalie that turned into a regular NHLer? I'm not even talking about a starter or above average guy, just someone who stuck around in the NHL for more than a small handful of games.