Leafs paying the price for bargain bin backups
When Toronto started the season with four of its forwards accounting for 50 per cent of the NHL salary cap, everyone expected the defence would suffer the most from the financial imbalance.
Instead, it’s the backup goaltender.
The Maple Leafs waived Michael Hutchinson earlier this week after he went his first six games without a win. They were paying him US$700,000. His replacement, Kasimir Kaskisuo, will earn $25,000 less.
They say you get what you pay for. And in Toronto’s case, that’s so true.
Had Hutchinson won half his games, the Leafs would be in first place in the Atlantic Division. Instead, they entered Wednesday night’s game against the New York Islanders barely clinging to the final wild-card spot in the East.
Every game counts. You might be able to make the playoffs without a $3 million backup. But you might not lock up home-ice advantage — or have a rested starter for the post-season.
Maybe that’s why so many teams are treating the position as more than an afterthought.
The Atlantic-leading Bruins have a backup in Jaroslav Halak who is 4-1-2 with a .918 save percentage, while Ilya Samsonov is 5-1-1 with a .915 save percentage for the Metropolitan-leading Capitals. Samsonov is on an entry-level contract worth $925,000, but Halak has a $2.75 million cap hit.
That’s nothing compared to the $5 million that the Islanders are paying Semyon Varlamov, who is 5-2-1 with a .924 save percentage and along with early Vezina Trophy favourite Thomas Greiss has combined for the lowest goalsagainst average in the NHL.
Last summer, the Hurricanes signed James Reimer for $3.4 million, the Flames signed Cam Talbot for $2.75 million, the Oilers signed Mike Smith for $2 million and the Lightning signed Curtis
Mcelhinney for $1.3 million.
The Leafs didn’t have the cap space to afford any of those goalies. Right now, they are paying the price.
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Cale Makar, who leads all rookies with 18 points in 18 games, is going to win the Calder Trophy this season. Next season, don’t be surprised if the Avalanche defenceman also adds the Norris Trophy … Worth noting is that two of Makar’s five goals are game-winners. None have come on the power play … The learning curves for Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko appear to be over. Hughes went his first seven games in the NHL without a point. Since then, the No. 1 overall pick has four goals and nine points in 10 games. Kakko, who was the No. 2 pick, has four goals and six points in seven games after managing just one goal and one assist in his first nine … For what it’s worth, only three players (Hughes, Kakko and Kirby Dach) from this year’s draft remain in the NHL. A year ago, there were four who lasted the season. Two years ago, there were only two, none of whom were named Makar or Elias Pettersson … Mitch Marner, who is out a month with a high-ankle sprain, will be missed in Toronto. But mostly, he’ll be missed on the power play, where he’s scored seven of his 18 points. Marner ranks fifth on the team with 10 even-strength points. A year ago, he led the team with 70 points when playing 5-on-5.
HERE’S ONE FOR YOU
It’s odd seeing defending scoring champion Nikita Kucherov ranked outside the top-80 in points, but keep in mind that the Lightning has played five fewer games than the Oilers’ leading scorer, Leon Draisaitl
(36 points). Also, Kucherov has five goals and 13 points after 15 games. A year ago, he had seven goals and 17 points. In other words, check back in another month … With U.S. Thanksgiving almost upon us — traditionally the litmus test for where teams will end up — both the Lighting and the Sharks are on the outside looking in at a playoff spot. But as the Blues showed last year, paying attention to the standings this early in the season is a fool’s game. Expect both to get in with ease … With defenceman John Carlson on pace for a 100-point season, you might not have noticed that Capitals teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov has quietly scored eight goals and 18 points in 16 games since serving a threegame suspension for testing positive for cocaine. At this rate, he could reach the 40-goal mark — he’s never even scored 30 — for the first time in his career.
Every game counts. You might be able to make the playoffs without a $3 million backup. But you might not lock up home-ice advantage — or have a rested starter for the post-season.
TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE?
It sounds like Ilya Kovalchuk has played his last game with the Los Angeles Kings. The question is whether he’s also played his last game in the NHL.
The 36-year-old was a healthy scratch on Tuesday night, and according to a report from Elliotte Friedman, will be out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. He has another year after this season remaining on a contract that pays him $6.25 million.
No one is paying that for a player who can no longer skate or score or play defence.
It’s mind-boggling that the Kings paid it in the first place.
In his first season upon returning to the NHL after a six-year hiatus in Russia, Kovalchuk managed 16 goals and 34 points in 64 games. This year, he ranks fourth on the low-scoring Kings with three goals and nine points in 17 games. Worst of all, he leads the team with a minus-10 rating.
What a disaster. What a miscue.