Mike Myers may be the Love Guru, but Vesa Toskala is the Fashion Guru...
While there may be turmoil elsewhere in the land of Blue and White, the crease is a source of calm.
Last season there were questions surrounding the Leafs' goaltending situation: How would Andrew Raycroft respond to 2006/07's failing? Could Vesa Toskala be "the man"? What happens if both were busts? Well after signing Vesa before even seeing him play a game in Leafs' Blue, John Ferguson Jr. was playing with fire, and the spite of all Leafs fans.
Fortunately enough for Ferguson, the move worked out. Although V-Tosk was streaky at points last season, he was really what kept the Leafs in the picture, and will probably be what will keep them from totally floundering this season. V-Tosk found his game as the season progressed, and finished with a solid 33-win campaign.
The amount of shots (1824) is misleading when compared to his stats (2.73 GAA, .904 save percentage), as many times throughout the season, Toskala was hung out to dry by a defense that was usually looking a little lost, as well as being prone to taking shifts, and sometimes periods off.
I could see Toskala nabbing another 30-win season, but not much more than 30. He's got a defense that'll be doing a lot of growing in front of him, so more often than not, Toskala will be left to bail them out. With the added stress of that this season, he may rely more heavily on a backup (It's worth noting that under Toskala was 49-17 his last two seasons under Ron Wilson in San Jose, so once the system sets in on the back end, Toskala could flourish).
As of right now, that backup is former-Leaf Curtis Joseph. After a tumultuous departure, Joseph has been touring the NHL (and beyond) since 2002/03. Although he had a few slip-ups in the preseason, I stand by my support of Joseph and why he's so great for this team.
Despite being a solid option as a back-up goalie (despite being 41) Joseph knows how to win over the media in Toronto. Not only was he one of the more successful tenders here in recent memory, but he was also one of the more consistent and level-headed ones as well. Although he may only be good for 7-10 wins this season, he brings so much more to the team than just a set of goalie pads.
A scenario that might be interesting to watch out for though, is what happens at the trade deadline. If Justin Pogge can prove that his cool play throughout the preseason was no fluke and his poise carries over to the Marlies' regular season, then Joseph could become expendable if a team comes looking for a veteran presence to round out their in-crease scenario.
Now introducing some things you may not have Schenn before...
The talk surrounding Leafs Nation all preseason has been the play of Luke Schenn. The 18 year-old has played with poise, played steadily on the power play, and has looked to be ready for a little taste of true NHL action.
One of Schenn's best attributes is his ability to forget previous shifts. If something goes amiss on one shift, Schenn will remember what went wrong, but will carry no sour taste in his mouth over what just happened—a truly valuable skill for an NHL defender any age.
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