supportjm1
join:2009-07-08
Hamilton, ON
| Do you like the signing of Jonas Gustavsson ?
Jonas Gustavsson signed a US$900,000, one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, but GM Brian Burke isn't about to hand the coveted free-agent goaltender a starting job.
Toronto beat out Dallas, San Jose and Colorado, among others, to secure the services of the 24-year-old from Danderyd, Sweden. But Burke said Vesa Toskala remains the Leafs' starter and Gustavsson will have to beat out the veteran Finn to secure the No. 1 position.
"He's not coming in trying to unseat a guy who has been here a long time, has a long-term contract and has had a lot of success," Burke said. "That being said, we were very frank with Jonas that we feel Vesa is going to have a big-time, bounce-back year now that he's healthy.
"Don't think you're going to walk in here and knock this kid out of the net. You're going to have to do something to do that."
Toskala appeared in 53 games last season with Toronto, compiling a 22-17 record. He posted a 3.26 goals-against average with one shutout and .891 save percentage.
But he underwent season-ending hip surgery in March and missed Toronto's final 18 regular-season games. Toskala is entering the final year of his contract with the Leafs and is slated to earn US$4 million.
At worst, Burke figures the six-foot-three, 192-pound Gustavsson will serve as Toronto's backup goaltender and a solid insurance policy should Toskala suffer injury again.
"He's a butterfly goaltender that also has superb athletic ability and can make athletic saves," Burke said. "Goaltending in our league has become the art of shot blocking and that's what a butterfly goaltender does.
"He doesn't make saves, he blocks shots, he gets to the right place, makes himself big and the puck hits him. We think Jonas Gustavsson can do those technically sound things, get in position where a lot of pucks are going to hit him but when he needs to he can make the athletic saves as well."
Burke also said Tuesday there are teams interested in acquiring Tomas Kaberle. But the Leafs' GM firmly believes the veteran defenceman will still be in Toronto when the NHL regular season begins.
"There is interest but nothing that requires thinking about," Burke said. "It's going to take a tough deal to get Tomas Kaberle out of here.
"If I had to handicap this, he will be a Leaf at the start of the year. That could change with one phone call but I've not been given any offers that approach what I think we need to make that deal."
Kaberle has spent the past 10 seasons in Toronto has is under contract for another two years. He does have a no-trade clause but a window exists where he could be dealt during the off-season.
Gustavsson played for Farjestads in the Swedish Elite League last season, registering four shutouts with a league-leading goals-against average of 1.96 and .932 save percentage in 42 games.
He also led Farjestads to the league championship after allowing just 14 goals in 13 playoff games with five shutouts.
"I want to thank Brian Burke and his staff for giving me the opportunity to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs," Gustavsson said in a release. "Toronto is a great city, with tremendous fan support, and I am very excited about the future."
Gustavsson's deal is the second big signing in consecutive days for the Maple Leafs, who signed defenceman Francois Beauchemin to a 11.4-million, three-year contract Monday.
Burke said he believes his record, as well as that of the Leafs' organization with Swedish players, played a role in Gustavsson deciding to sign with Toronto. Burke was instrumental in securing Daniel and Henrik Sedin when he was the Vancouver Canucks GM while the Leafs have had a host of Swedes don the blue and white, including such popular players as defenceman Borje Salming and former captain Mat Sundin.
In fact, Burke said Salming went so far as to call Gustavsson during the negotiation process.
But Burke also said another factor working in Toronto's favour was the club's recent hiring of heralded goalie coach Francois Allaire, the godfather of the butterfly.
Gustavsson also played for Sweden at the world championship, posting a 3-2-0 record with a 2.83 GAA and .914 save percentage en route to a bronze medal and again catching Burke's eye.
"Playing against Team USA he made a save with the shaft of his stick and I said, 'Well, that was a lucky save,' " Burke said. "He said, 'I practise that all the time,' totally deadpan.
"I don't know if he was pulling my leg or not." |
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kingb71
join:2000-10-09
Mississauga, ON | Too early to tell, give him 5-10 games in the blue & white. |
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LEAFS_SUCK
join:2008-09-07
Toronto, ON | reply to supportjm1
Never heard of him before yesterday. Unless he's a Roy, Luongo or Brodeur I can care less. |
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LEAFS_SUCK
join:2008-09-07
Toronto, ON | Re: Do you like the signing of Jonas Gustavsson ?
Get over it!! It's over with Jim Balls HE FAILED end of story |
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tyler00
Premium
join:2001-06-27
Pickering, ON
1 edit | reply to Anon
When signing for less than a million the signing can never be bad.
He wasn't going to be #1 anywhere else he got signed either. |
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The Flash
You don't win friends with salad
Premium
join:2002-10-17
Toronto, ON
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Execulink
| reply to LEAFS_SUCK
said by LEAFS_SUCK  :Never heard of him before yesterday. Unless he's a Roy, Luongo or Brodeur I can care less. either you don't follow hockey much or were living under a rock... |
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Mauricio
aka CigaR
Premium
join:2008-12-06 | reply to supportjm1
Probably the most decent goalie Toronto has had in years. |
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LEAFS_SUCK
join:2008-09-07
Toronto, ON
| said by Mauricio :Probably the most decent goalie Toronto has had in years. Ouch not a reference!!!  |
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fourboxers
Premium,Mod
join:2003-05-04
Scarborough, ON
clubs:  | reply to supportjm1
It's customary to credit your source
»www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CT···24Sports |
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supportjm1
join:2009-07-08
Hamilton, ON | reply to supportjm1
hopefully he's better than Toskala |
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LEAFS_SUCK
join:2008-09-07
Toronto, ON
| said by supportjm1 :hopefully he's better than Toskala You're setting the bar pretty low. |
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The Flash
You don't win friends with salad
Premium
join:2002-10-17
Toronto, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Execulink
1 edit | reply to supportjm1
said by supportjm1 :hopefully he's better than Toskala Toskala isn't bad, he was plagued by injury all year.
Expect him to bounce back, especially with a potential starter as his backup. |
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shaner
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB
| reply to LEAFS_SUCK
Toskala was not bad last year. Unless you're Roy or Brodeur, stopping goals is a team effort. And the Leafs team defence last year sucked ass. How many 3rd period leads did they give up? Too many to blame it all on Toskala.
With 4 legitimate top 4 dmen this year, Toskala should look a whole lot better.
Marc Andre Fleury is a Stanley Cup winning goalie, and yet 4 years ago, there were big complaints about his play. Fleury wasn't the problem, the team in front of him was.
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I'm a man, but I can change. If I have to. I guess.
The opinions in this post are wholly my own and in no way reflect the opinions of, or are influenced by, Bell Canada or its affiliate companies. |
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elwoodblues
Elwood Blues
join:2006-08-30
Toronto, ON | reply to supportjm1
On other news, the Canucks singed Raycroft for 500K as a backup goalie.
Thats a long way from what JFJ was paying him. |
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dirtyjeffer
Merry Christmas
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON | true, but JFJ didn't sign him as a backup...he just ended up being one. |
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shaner
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB | Haha! BURN! |
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Brownbay
Premium
join:2005-03-13
North York, ON | Haha. I don't post a lot any more, but that was good!  |
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NefCanuck
join:2007-06-26
Mississauga, ON
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to supportjm1
The Gustavsson signing is an admission that Pogge is probably not going to work out as a competant back up (whether it be to Toskala or Gustavsson, depending on the health of the former)
If he works out, the question is do the Leafs sign him long term after next season at big bucks or hope that someone else on the farm has developed that can back up Toskala?
I ask this because with Toskala's health being a question mark, the Leafs may not elect to re-sign him after his current deal is done 
NefCanuck |
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dirtyjeffer
Merry Christmas
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
| good points, and this is exactly why they signed him...the Leafs now have several options...one potential option, could even include trading Toskala (unless he has a NTC/NMC).
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Today's motto: Dearly beloved, We are gathered here today to bid farewell to personal responsibility and accountability. |
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