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Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala defended himself Thursday against GM Brian Burke’s public criticism that his play and practice habits were subpar, hinting that an injury is keeping him from being in top form.
Toskala, the Leafs’ No. 1 goalie this season, also said he was unaware of his boss’s opinions, saying it was the first he had heard of any such criticism.
At the Conn Smythe Sports Celebrity Dinner and Auction in Toronto on Wednesday night, Burke told hundreds of guests that Toskala still has to show he can be a top goaltender in the NHL.
"If you want to be a No. 1 goaltender in our league you have to be able to handle the work load and play 60 games at a high level – and Vesa Toskala hasn’t shown he can do that yet," Burke said in speaking to the crowd. "He's given us some great games and he's given us some clunkers and from my perspective, that’s not the definition of a starting goaltender.
"And to me being good every third night isn’t enough so I think he’s got to change his practice habits a little bit – I don’t think he practices hard enough and we need better goaltending. But we need lots of things, it’s not just that one."
After practice Thursday, Toskala cryptically suggested an ailment is the source of his spotty play.
"It is the first time I have heard of it and I have not talked to him," Toskala said when asked about Burke's comments. "Like I just said it is a long season and sometimes you have problems with your body, you just have to take it a little bit easier in practice to get through the games."
"I know what is going on and I can't say everything to the media. So as long as I know that he knows the truth and know the truth then it doesn't matter," Toskala said. "Injury wise, maybe (there is) something."
Toskala was not the goaltender of record in Wednesday night's 5-0 shellacking by the Buffalo Sabres as rookie Justin Pogge received his third NHL start.
Toskala is in his second year with the Maple Leafs Toskala and has started 44 of 51 games this season, posting 17 wins and a 3.34 goals-against average.
