The Leafs appear to be setting their sights on getting a tandem partner instead of a marquee goalie according to The Athletic’s James Mirtle.
In the latest episode of The Leafs Report, Mirtle mentioned that Laurent Brossoit could be a target of the Leafs in free agency to work in tandem with Joseph Woll for next season.
“I think they are going to get a tandem goaltender as opposed to a big name,” he said. “Someone like Laurent Brossoit, who was the backup in Winnipeg this year, will be a target for the Leafs.”
Although this report is not definitive proof that Brossoit would replace Ilya Samsonov, it makes sense why he would likely be on their radar.
Brad Treliving made it clear during the locker room cleanout presser that the team has a lot of faith in Woll and wants to ensure he is in the right state physically given the goalie has been dealing with injuries over the years. It is the right call to make because Woll was a big reason why the Leafs were able to claw their way back from a 3-1 deficit to force a Game 7 against the Bruins and it is fair to wonder how differently things play out if he does not get injured in the dying seconds of Game 6. He is very talented and has a calm demeanour needed to be a successful NHL goalie, all that is required is some consistency with his health.
Goaltending is unquestionably a key area the Leafs need to focus on improving for next season. However, going after a marquee name like Juuse Saros or Jacob Markstrom could send the wrong message to Woll and potentially stunt his development. Besides, it is usually not wise to spend a lot of assets and financial capital on a goaltender via trade or free agency because of how volatile the position is yearly. Apart from Sergei Bobrovsky, the vast majority of cases over the past decade where teams spent big on a netminder did not end well for them. It may seem like the sexy move to acquire a big-name goalie at first, but it can quickly go sour if that same person takes up a lot of cap space and struggles mightily.
That’s why it could be in their best interest to go the route that Mirtle mentioned and go for a tandem partner instead. Brossoit would be a great fit because he has plenty of experience working in tandem with a quality goalie like Connor Helleybuyck who helps push the two to elevate their game. And he did so on a Golden Knights team last year that went on to win the Stanley Cup.
He is coming off an impressive 2023-24 season that earned him a nomination for the Masterton Trophy, posting a record of 15-5-2, a .927 SV%, a 2.00 GAA, and three shutouts. The 31-year-old would likely be looking for a pay raise from the $1.75 million cap hit he inked with the Jets on the open market which would not be egregiously enough for the Leafs to be scared off by.
All of which is to say that Brossoit is a name to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Perhaps he could be the goalie the Leafs will bring on to work alongside Joseph Woll when free agent frenzy kicks off on July 1st.
