Maple Leafs Must Find Way To Avoid Similar Disastrous Kallgren Situation

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Dawson Mckenzie
August 21, 2023 (7:24 PM)

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The Leafs are notorious for having goaltending issues down the stretch. With the addition of Martin Jones to the roster, it looks like Treliving is hoping to avoid that this year.

Keeping Jones Could be a Tall Order

Jones would be a stellar 3rd string goaltender, with a .887 save percentage last year. While his GAA is a touch high (2.99), the netminder was able to lead his team to a 27-13 record when he was between the pipes.

While the Leafs may be happy to have him, it could be tricky to keep him, with both Samsonov and Kallgren on the roster.

On a recent episode of Leafs Morning Take, hosts Jay Rosehill and Nick Algebra discussed the intricacies of trying to get a quality goaltender through waivers.

The apparent plan for Jones is to find his way to the AHL. When I say "somehow," I doubt he'll clear waivers, which makes this seem like a mere paper transaction. I'm skeptical about him making it through waivers, especially if Samsonov is starting the year. We'll see. Picking up a player off waivers isn't common. Goalies are a unique case and are often sought after. The timing of when a player is placed on waivers matters, like right after training camp when rosters are swamped and teams are finalizing their squads. Maybe he'll be placed on waivers then and will slip through unnoticed.

Kallgren's Experience

Kallgren is a young goalie who will shine once he has some more meaningful games under his belt, but the question remains as to whether or not the Leafs can count on him if Samsonov goes down. While he did perform well when needed last season, it is hard to rely on an inexperienced goalie during key moments in the playoffs.

The Leafs probably want a goalie with some experience. Remember last fall when they heavily relied on Erik Kallgren? It's risky for a Cup-contending team to depend on an inexperienced goalie, even if Kallgren performed admirably. But a slump in November or December can hinder a season. So, this move might be about depth and avoiding past mistakes.

It will be tough for Kallgren to remain optimistic as a young goaltender when the Leafs are seemingly showing their hesitancy in him by bringing in another goalie. If Jones can make it through waivers, then we will see whether or not the competition gets to Kallgren's head.