The Toronto Maple Leafs may be looking multiple areas that need fixing
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – A Goaltending Roller Coaster episode on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
I mean, someone just said to me, there’s there’s lines in the water. They’re not sure how much is going to happen. Like, Like, for example, Toronto, they’re really going now you know, they, they win 7-0 without (Auston) Matthews. We all know about the injuries. Their 1 or 1a goalie, whatever you want to call him, he’s out of the lineup right now.
Like it’s bought them time. Like I think Toronto was another team, they’re sitting there, I think they know exactly what it would take to get a guy like Tanev if they wanted to get him. But they’re also sitting there saying, you know, what else do we need what other assets do we have out there?
NHL Rumors: When will the Calgary Flames decide which direction they’ll be going in?
They’re, they’re not interested in trading their too young, Team Canada forwards, (Easton) Cowan and (Fraser) Minton. So if they want to do things, what other assets are they, are they looking at out here?
Like that’s what I think is going on out there. Teams are kind of figuring out, of all the things that we might need to do, and Toronto might be looking at multiple kinds of things to kind of fix themselves up or strengthen themselves, what kinds of assets are we, are we going to need?”
The Maple Leafs can’t trust Ilya Samsonov anymore
TSN: Frank Corrado on what the Toronto Maple Leafs need to do with goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “Well, Ilya Samsonov pulled from a game for the third time this season after allowing five goals on 19 shots (against the Sabres Thursday). I mean, he’s given up 15 goals and his last three starts. So, Frankie, he’s really struggling to say the least, what should the Leafs do with him short-term and long-term?
Corrado: “They can’t put them in the net anymore. Like they’ve given him many chances here this season to take the ball and run with it and have the net. He has shown them that they cannot trust him. So now what do you do?
Well, they’re in the exact same predicament that the Edmonton Oilers were with Jack Campbell. Where, I don’t know how you can keep throwing Ilya Samsonov in an NHL net when he can’t make the most easy and routine of saves.
He needs to find his game. He cannot find it in the NHL. So perhaps it’s time for him to go to the American Hockey League, find his game, start to feel confident and when the time permits maybe he can come back up.
In the meantime the Leafs are gonna have to solve this goaltending thing because Martin Jones is fine, but he’s not supposed to be their backup goalie. So for Ilya Samsonov, it’,s it’s not a great spot for him to be in. It’s not a great spot for the team to be in but he has had ample opportunity to play well and find his game. He hasn’t been able to do it at the NHL level. He’s not going to find it at the NHL level. He needs to be in an environment where it’s easier for him to gain some confidence.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vancouver Canucks
Host: “You feel really bad for the guy you want to see him obviously thrive and succeed, but unfortunately, it’s just not happening for him. Samsonov ranks in the bottom five in the league and save percentage at .870. As always, thanks Frankie.”
