A Few Good Reasons To Keep Gerber Around

Sheldon  Mohammed by Contributor Written on April 17, 2009
TORONTO - MARCH 7:  Martin Gerber #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs keeps an eye on play against the Edmonton Oilers during their NHL game at the Air Canada Centre March 7, 2009 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images) (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

 

Assuming that Gerber has been properly decontaminated since his stint with Ottawa, I say we keep him for another year. There are a few good reasons for this:

6. If Gerber manages to be even remotely useful, it will make Senators fans even ANGRIER. And they have a lot to be angry about. Their lives, for instance.

5. If we're really being honest with ourselves, it is beginning to look unlikely that Pogge will become an NHL starter, or even backup for that matter.

Best-case scenario is that Pogge has an outstanding season in the minors next year, and we'll feel comfortable bringing him in for 2010-11.

This means we are going to need a backup goalie for next season, so and we've already got one sitting in the Leafs' crease.

4. Obviously, he hates to lose, and this is exactly the kind of man we want in the dressing room. If he can go berserk few times, I know I'll be satisfactorily entertained.

3. He will probably come cheap. Heck, if we can pick him back up for around $1.5M, it's a pretty low-risk signing.

2. This year, Toskala was worn out. He had no help on a night-in, night-out basis by our defense, and then had no one to relieve him when he was just too shell-shocked to continue.

1. Toskala has only ever performed to his potential when he has another goalie to compete with (i.e. Nabokov and Raycroft).

Yes, he was injured this year, and that makes it hard to gauge his play without a legitimate No. 2 behind him, but it is a safer move to go back to what he already knows: play hard, and you might earn your next start.

Gerber seems to have just enough left in the tank to push Toskala. 

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  • Total votes: 11
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written on April 17, 2009 Opinion

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