Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman also reports that teams who have an oversupply of goaltenders know it and are asking for a lot.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman also reports that teams who have an oversupply of goaltenders know it and are asking for a lot.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could be in the hunt for another goaltender.
During the second intermission of the Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets game Saturday night, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman joined Ron MacLean for their weekly 'Saturday Headlines' segment.
One of the topics discussed was goaltending and how the Maple Leafs have immersed themselves in that specific trade market, given Joseph Woll's injury and the fact that Ilya Samsonov isn't playing at his best.
"I do believe that Toronto has dipped its toes into the goaltending market. I don't expect anything to happen right when the [holiday] freeze ends. I think their hope is that Samsonov just gets a few days away and they continue to work with him," Friedman reported.
"Of course, they don't have Joseph Woll right now he's injured and I don't think they believe bringing their American Hockey League goaltender Dennis Hildeby up is the proper thing to do right now even though he's really talented and looks really good.
"The other thing I'm hearing out there is that the teams that have the goaltending surplus, they know it. And what they're asking for is a lot, especially if retention is involved and I just think all these teams out here that are looking for goaltenders just find that they're being extorted a little bit."
This report comes as the Maple Leafs are dealing with problems at the goaltending position. As mentioned, Woll is out week-to-week with a high-ankle sprain he suffered on Dec. 7 vs. the Ottawa Senators. Ilya Samsonov is going through a tough stretch as his game takes a dip this season.
That has led to Martin Jones — Toronto's third-string goaltender — taking the reigns in net. Through six games this season, the 33-year-old veteran goaltender has three wins, a .917 save percentage, and one shutout.
Toronto currently has $834,999 in cap space meaning they have some room if they want to bring in another goaltender. However, Mark Giordano has begun skating with the team and is close to a return after suffering a broken finger on Nov. 28 vs. the Florida Panthers.
Giordano has an $800,000 cap hit, but if the Maple Leafs wanted to, they could send down one of their waivers-exempt players, like Pontus Holmberg, to make room for another goaltender.
Whether they go down the route of trading for a goaltender, though, is yet to be seen. But it's a good sign that Jones is beginning to find his rhythm after the team's difficult pair of games against the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres.
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