Scratching Reimer for the Florida game may have put the nail in the coffin on the Leafs playoff run.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere is a Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
James Reimer has won squat.
So when it came time to pick his starting goaltender for Thursday's important match-up against the Florida Panthers, you'd have to go with Giguere, right?
That's exactly what Leafs coach Ron Wilson did…causing green beer the fly out of the nostrils of celebrating St. Patrick's Day bar patrons through the Greater Toronto area when they heard about the decision.
With the Maple Leafs desperately needing a win over one of just eight teams that trail them in the overall standings to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, Wilson not only didn't start Reimer - the team's best goaltender this season - he didn't even dress him. Giguere, who allowed three goals on 25 shots and really didn't look sharp, was backed up by Jonas Gustavsson who hadn't played since Jan. 19. Giguere, by the way, hasn't won a game he started since Feb. 7.
Asked about his strategy of starting Giguere over Reimer, Wilson said, "That was the plan this week. We made up our mind that Jiggy was going to play this game. It was time to get him in there. Jiggy was ready to go tonight."
Bad plan. Very bad plan.
By no means has Reimer got the Leafs back into the playoff picture on his own, but there is no denying of the team's three goaltenders, he consistently gives Toronto a much better chance to win than the other two. On a night when the Ottawa Senators did the Maple Leafs a favor by beating the New Jersey Devils for the second time this month, it made no sense whatsoever for Reimer not to play unless there's something the Leafs weren't telling us, like the 22-year-old stopper is injured.
Reimer met with the media following the game and said he was healthy.
Now with 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Leafs trail eight place Buffalo by four points and the Sabres have two games in hand. Truthfully the Leafs chances of making the playoffs even if they had beaten Florida Thursday were not good, but there will be those who feel the team gave away two points by starting Giguere.
Not surprisingly, Wilson said his team didn't score any goals so it didn't matter who was in net. Hogwash. The Maple Leafs have played better in front of Reimer than they have when Giguere or Gustavsson were in net.
Reimer will probably start against the Boston Bruins Saturday night, but it will be a case of too little, too late.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC With three straight losses pushing the Calgary Flames out of the playoffs in the tough Western Conference, they needed somebody to spark the club against the Colorado Avalanche Thursday. Enter captain Jarome Iginla. The team's leader had not played particularly well over his club's last three games, but he answered the bell and he answered it early. Iginla gave the Flames a 1-0 lead at 3:51 of the first period and later scored the 473rd goal of his career to move into 50th place all-time among NHL goal-scorers as the Flames beat the Avalanche 5-2. The Flames are still in very tough to make the playoffs having played 73 games, one and two more than they teams they are battling for eighth. Also, the Flames have won eight games in the shootout and if they wind up tied with another club, they will lose the tie-breaker when those games are subtracted from their win total. Nevertheless, Iginla came through when his team needed him most.
PATIENCE REQUIRED This hasn't been a great rookie season for Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry Draft. His offensive totals, 11 goals and 22 points in 63 games are not earth shattering. Edmonton's Taylor Hall, who was picked first overall, Carolina's Jeff Skinner and San Jose's Logan Couture have all enjoyed wonderful freshman years and could be the three finalists for the Calder Trophy. Seguin, though, has shown signs of being a player. His goal Thursday against Nashville was a beauty, a good indication he possesses a tremendous upside. Not many 19-year-olds step into the NHL and enjoy instant success. Seguin will be a great player very soon.
