Sportsnet reporter identifies Flames netminder as the Leafs' next starting goalie; Leaf fans won't like the idea one bit
There has been some discourse over what will happen with Leafs goaltending this summer after reports linked Philly's Carter Hart to the Leafs this week. Some believe that the best course for the Leafs here would be to trade or buy out Matt Murray continue to run with Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll, while others are making their case for a Hart trade. Well, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis, he doesn't believe any of these names will be the Leafs' starting goaltender when the 2023-24 season kicks off. He believes that new Leafs GM Brad Treliving will opt to trade for someone he knows very well from his time in Calgary.
No, I'm not referring to Jacob Markstrom, who is coming off of one of the worst seasons in his career and is signed through 2025-26 at $6M per season. Francis believes that it will be Dan Vladar between the pipes for the Leafs on opening night.
Honestly, I give this about as much of a chance of occurring as Connor McDavid requesting a trade to Toronto this summer. Vladar's career SV% is .899 and his career GAA is 2.85. Yes, the Leafs are better defensively than Calgary and yes Vladar's numbers might improve in Toronto were the move to occur, but I simply don't think that Brendan Shanahan is going to look at Samsonov, Woll, Murray or even Carter Hart's numbers and somehow give the approval to Treliving to move one of them for a substantially worse Vladar.
If the Leafs are interested in ANY goaltender in the Flames organization, it would likely be Dustin Wolf, who provided the AHL's Calgary Wranglers with a .932 SV% this season and posted a .958 SV% in his NHL debut with the Flames this year. But even then, there is no proven NHL track record there to warrant making that type of a move unless Brad Treliving is truly that high on Dustin Wolf that he wants to move one of Samsonov or Woll. I just don't see it happening.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 8 | 43 ANSWERS Sportsnet reporter identifies Flames netminder as the Leafs' next starting goalie; Leaf fans won't like the idea one bit Will Dan Vladar be in the Leafs' crease on opening night? | ||
| Not a snowball's chance in hell | 25 | 58.1 % |
| Maybe, if Treliving sees something in him | 4 | 9.3 % |
| LOFL!! | 5 | 11.6 % |
| HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! | 9 | 20.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
