The top 4 Toronto Maple Leafs goalie trade options

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff exit this year cannot solely be blamed on Mitch Marner, despite what many frustrated fans might argue. Instead, the pivotal issue was their GM’s critical decision not to acquire a goalie mid-season. Brad Treliving’s choice to stick with Ilya Samsonov, who had recently cleared waivers, proved disastrous. Samsonov’s performance faltered, and he lost his starting position to Joseph Woll, who, though promising, has a history of injuries and couldn’t play in the crucial game seven, leading to Samsonov’s return and their eventual loss in overtime.

Beyond their goalie struggles, the Leafs face the urgency of Auston Matthews’ prime years. The franchise’s best player demands a serious approach to building a contender around him, which excludes relying on an unproven goalie like Woll paired with a decent backup.

While Woll may develop into a top-tier goalie, his limited NHL experience and injury issues make it too risky to entrust him with the starting role alongside someone like Laurent Brossoit, despite speculation. With Matthews in his prime and the Leafs’ history of missed opportunities, the team has little choice but to aggressively pursue a star goalie this offseason, likely within the coming week, as indicated by reports on capfriendly.com.

The Top Option

Jusse Saros

Jusse Saros appears to be the most viable goalie option for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the trade market. At 29 years old with an expiring contract and a manageable $5 million cap hit, Saros is a valuable asset, especially considering his potential contract extension around $10 million annually.

Acquiring Saros would allow the Leafs to utilize the salary freed up from John Tavares’ contract expiration next season, potentially forming a cost-effective goaltending tandem with Joseph Woll for a combined $6 million cap hit for one season.

The rationale behind targeting Saros lies in the volatility of NHL goaltending performance. Few goalies sustain elite-level play over several seasons, making those who do extremely valuable commodities. Currently, top goalies like Connor Hellebuyck and Andrei Vasilevskiy are unavailable to the Leafs, leaving Saros among the next tier of reliable goaltenders, which includes names like Ilya Sorokin, Igor Shesterkin, and Joel Oettinger.

While other goalies like Jacob Markstrom, Thatcher Demko, and others offer varying levels of performance, Saros stands out as a potential solution due to his consistent track record. For the Leafs, securing a goalie of Saros’ caliber should be a top priority given their aspirations and the critical role goaltending plays in postseason success.