Are the Maple Leafs Already Making Excuses for Bobrovsky?

Monday night, Sergei Bobrovsky is projected to start for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight in Calgary. It’s a chance for him to get his numbers where he and the Leafs want them, much higher than the ones already drawing attention. General manager John Chayka says there is no cause for alarm, and he seems to be justifying the signing by suggesting the organization didn’t sign Bobrovsky to be a star in October.

Bobrovsky has a 3.10 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage through eight games in his first season in Toronto. Chayka, who signed the veteran goaltender to a three-year, $21 million contract, told Sportsnet that Bobrovsky is historically a slow starter.

“We were looking at it the other day. He’s historically a slow starter. I think this is his best start — if you look at some (data) adjustments in the last four to five years,” Chayka said.

He also stressed what Bobrovsky was brought in to do. “You need to win points and you need to have a good start to the season. But Sergei, we brought him in to be there when the pressure ramps up and we need a rock back there.” He added that Bobrovsky is moving well and praised his presence, preparation, and approach in the locker room.

Toronto is also keeping its options open on how to split the workload between Bobrovsky and Stolarz. Chayka said it’s a long season and that most goalies benefit from rest. They’ve already tried a few different approaches, like leaving Bobrovsky at home when the team goes out on a short road trip.

And if that doesn’t work? Chayka expressed confidence in Artur Akhtyamov of the Marlies.

“We feel like we have a bit of a luxury to be thoughtful and look at all different options,” Chayka said, noting the bigger goal of keeping players fresh and healthy.

Can Bobrovsky Find His Game When It Matters Most?

Bobrovsky began his career with the Philadelphia Flyers and later spent several seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets before signing a seven-year contract with the Panthers in 2019. He led Florida to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, losing to Vegas before beating Edmonton in consecutive years.

These early comments from Chayka sound a bit like excuses. Nick Kypreos said on his show today that Anthony Stolarz has been a better goalie than Bobrovsky. Justin Bourne agreed and noted that if this trend continues, the Leafs will have a difficult decision to make if they get into the postseason.

Then again, if Chayka expected this all along, perhaps he’s ready to make that decision and confident in it. If the Maple Leafs can keep humming along and playing well when Bobrovsky isn’t at his best, how good can they be when he is? The goal wasn’t just to get into the playoffs; it was to push once they got there. Having Stolarz humming and Bobrovsky improving is a good problem to have.

Next: The Maple Leafs’ Could-Have-Been Disastrous Trade Mistake