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Gustavsson's Future With The Leafs Remains Uncertain
 Posted
1/17/2010 9:00:00 PM
Is Jonas Gustavsson deserving of the number one job next season?
It's a decision Brian Burke will have to make at the end of the season with the 25-year-old Swede set to become a resticted free agent.
The answer is tricky at best, incomplete at worst.
Gustavsson has been up, down, and awkward in his first season with the Leafs, and first in the National Hockey League. He's displayed the rollercoaster habits typical of a rookie prospect, sometimes looking the part of a stud and other times looking something closer to average. The numbers aren't awe-inspiring (2.98 GAA, .901 SV%), but not bad considering the fairly weak defensive team consistently playing in front of him.
The decision for Burke won't necessarily rest though in what Gustavsson is today, but more likely in what he's likely to become. The word is potential and whether Gustavsson has shown enough of it.
Two factors that may swing the balance towards keeping Gustavsson.
One. Gustavsson and his commitment to improvement - The guy works and works hard in all facets of the game. Whether it's at practice or at the morning skate, Gustavsson competes and competes with intensity. He wants to get better and proves it with his efforts on and off the ice. If Burke believes there's potential in Gustavsson's game, the work ethic of the former Farjestads star should be convincing in him reaching it down the road.
Two. Francois Allaire - Burke considers Allaire to be a fine teacher and judge of talent, and his opinions of Gustavsson will hold considerable weight when considering the goaltender's future in the organization. If Allaire believes Gustavsson can get there, he'll likely convince Burke of the same.
If Burke decides that Gustavsson isn’t the answer long-term, he might be able to tread down a familiar path. That path leads back to Anaheim in Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller, who remains unsigned beyond this season. Bob Murray is on the hook for one more season with J.S. Giguere at a whopping $7 million, so re-signing Hiller long-term may prove difficult. The Burke-Hiller-Allaire connection is clear. Burke signed Hiller as a free agent from Switzerland, and Allaire’s work alongside Hiller proved successful in their short time working together.
Burke holds the option of matching any deal for Gustavsson in the summer, but he'll need to be convinced that Gustavsson is the guy. Goaltending is priority number one in Burke's blueprints for building a team, and if Gustavsson isn't deemed to be the future, he'll likely turn elsewhere.
-J.Siegel
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