5 goalies the Maple Leafs should go after

Roberto Luongo

Love him or hate him, Roberto Luongo is one of the better goalies in the NHL. Even though he possesses a massive contract, should the Leafs pursue Luongo? Certainly.

But only if the price is right.

The key is to adequately assess his value, and then determine whether or not the package of assets that will be required to acquire him is worth more or less.

My gut says Brian Burke will eventually acquire a goalie elsewhere Mike Gillis finds no other buyer and treats the deal as a salary dump.

Jonathan Bernier



With the rise of Jonathan Quick, Jonathan Bernier has quickly become an attractive trade chip for the Kings.

Bernier is an interesting option, but he is still young and raw. Those are qualities Brian Burke isn't necessarily looking for in a goaltender this offseason. He already has young and raw. He needs a veteran. But if Burke believes Bernier has more upside than his goalies then perhaps he uses Bernier as an upgrade and still pursues a veteran.

However, the price tag may be too high considering the picks squandered to acquire Phil Kessel.

Scott Clemmensen

This ex-Leaf has had a solid history as a back up who can set in and fill the void when needed. He is a consummate team player who would never gripe about playing time. After all he backed up Martin Brodeur. He is also cheap which would free up dollars for Burke's now five-year pursuit of a number one centre. The downside of Clemmensen is that the goalie Burke picks up may have to be the starter if James Reimer can't regain his game and Ben Scrivens turns out to be not ready for prime time.

Clemmensen is not a number one goalie so this isn't the best fit either.

Dan Ellis

Now that Tomas Vokuun has been signed by Pittsburgh the best goalie likely to be available as a free agent will be Dan Ellis. He will come cheap and still has some upside. He is not a number one goalie but could share the net if Reimer isn't ready to re-assume the status of starter. It all depends if you are looking for insurance or a number one goalie.

Jaroslav Halak



Jaroslav Halak is splitting goaltending duties with Brian Elliott in St. Louis but at $3.75 million per season, Halak is expensive in a shared role. The cash-strapped Blues would probably entertain offers for Halak who had a goal against under 2.00 last season. The Blues gave up two prospects for Halak and would expect to get that back.

Halak has more experience than Bernier and possesses much more tread life than Ellis and Clemensen. Yet is contract is much better than Luongo. He becomes an intriguing option.