After O’Reilly Blockbuster Deal, Leafs’ Trade Priority Should Be Goaltending Insurance

The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a stunning trade last Friday, acquiring star center Ryan O’Reilly and depth forward Noel Acciardi from St. Louis for a package that included draft picks and prospects. The Leafs’ Atlantic Division rivals in Boston answered back with a big move of their own, making a multi-asset deal with Washington that made defenseman Dmitry Orlov and energy forward Garnet Hathaway for a trade haul similar to what Toronto gave up to the Blues.

That leaves us with one week left before the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline – and the question now is, are the Leafs done making roster changes? The answer is “probably not”, as Toronto GM Kyle Dubas has more than $4.4 million in salary cap space to use by the deadline, and Dubas likely will use every last penny to add depth to the Buds in every area possible.

Prior to the O’Reilly/Acciardi trade, we suggested Toronto’s biggest need was on the second line, and on the wing. Although O’Reilly has played center since becoming a Leaf, the second-line winger role in essence has been filled by captain John Tavares. So, if they’re done adding top-six forwards, where is Dubas going to put his remaining cap space?

The easy answer to that is “on defense, of course”. And while it’s true the Leafs could always benefit from more depth on the blue line, we’re going to argue Toronto’s focus should now be on adding a veteran goaltender to serve as an understudy for starting netminder Ilya Samsonov. In his first year with the Leafs, Samsonov has emerged as the winner in the battle for the No. 1 goalie job, as fellow first-year Leaf Matt Murray has not been able to stay healthy – and when he was healthy, Murray’s inconsistent play was worrisome.

Dubas likely considered Murray’s health to remain an issue when he traded for him last summer, and to his credit, Dubas has planned very wisely to give the Leafs enough above-average goaltending, no matter where it came from. But now, as the games grow in importance – and with Murray still on the sidelines, dealing with a lower-body injury – Dubas and Leafs brass have to be cold-blooded and realistic about their netminding depth.

Even if Murray returns to action soon and gives Toronto solid minutes, do the Leafs really want to pin their playoff plan on a guy who can’t stay healthy? If the answer to that is “no”, do the Buds turn to American League prospect Joseph Woll as Samsonov’s understudy? Or do they spend what remains of their cap space on a goalie who has far more experience than Woll?

We think the latter option is the best option at this point. While it would be nice for Murray to regain his Stanley Cup-winning form, the truth is he hasn’t been a consistently positive difference-maker for Toronto this year. The Leafs can’t afford to have their post-season aspirations sunk because they don’t have a go-to goalie. And while there’s no superstar netminder available on the trade front, Toronto certainly could go out and pick up a veteran who can handle the pressure of playing on a playoff-bound Leafs team.

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For example, current Sharks goalie James Reimer and Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo are available via trade, and won’t break the bank in terms of an asking price. Both are veterans playing on very bad teams, and a change in employer might be exactly what they need to ratchet their game up to a level that will keep Toronto in games, regular-season and beyond. Both Reimer and Korpisalo are unrestricted free agents this coming summer, so they’d be strict rentals, and as such, the most that could be asked for their services is a mid-level draft pick and an average prospect. That would fit in with Dubas’ ongoing plans to add talent without taking any other talent off the NHL roster.

One scenario that could take place after the Leafs make a trade for a veteran goalie is that Murray comes back and plays extremely well, taking pressure off Samsonov, and Toronto would wind up with a logjam in net. That’s a problem the Leafs would love to have, but the alternative – turning to Murray, only to have him get injured again – is something Dubas can guard against by adding another goalie in the next week.

It’s all nice and sweet that Murray is likely going to get more games to prove he was worth the investment by Dubas, but Toronto can’t be focused on what’s best for only Murray. If he shows the slightest sag once he’s back, Murray can and should be shuttled to the side, and the Leafs should have more options between the pipes, just as the O’Reilly trade gave head coach Sheldon Keefe more options up front.

Colorado showed last season you could win a Stanley Cup if your goalie just plays well enough to allow your offense to shine, and the same could be true for Toronto this year. But there’s a clear feeling the Leafs need to use their remaining cap space for a position that, obviously, is crucial. You can get away with the deep defense corps the Leafs have now, but you can’t win without dependable netminding, and Dubas should address that position a.s.a.p..