Well, that didn’t take long. According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Alex Stalock (part of the return in yesterday’s James Reimer trade with San Jose) is heading to the minors. That is, if he clears waivers.
Stalock, 28, has appeared in 13 games this season. He sports an .884 SV% and a 2.94 GAA, so the AHL definitely seems like the place for him. That said, his career averages (.911 SV%, 2.37 GAA) suggest that Stalock is going through a pretty significant rough patch and could find himself back up with the Leafs at some point this season. It’s more likely, however, that Stalock is here until his contract expires this summer. It really doesn’t matter where he plays, so long as he’s not disrupting the progress of the Leafs’ younger netminders.
In the meantime, Toronto will roll with Jonathan Bernier and Garret Sparks as their goaltending tandem at the NHL level. On yesterday’s media call with Lou Lamoriello following the Reimer deal, the Leafs’ GM suggested that now’s the time Sparks and Antoine Bibeau get more opportunities to show what they got and audition for a full-time NHL job next season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sparks get a number of starts over the next couple weeks and even see Bibeau up at the end of the year for a couple games of his own. If it shakes out like this, it’s hard to imagine Leafs fans see much, if any, of Alex Stalock.
when are they waiving bernier? let him get another shutout with the marlies. i’d rather have sparks as the starter. see what you have in him. demote bernier. small sample size but sparks still has a better record and stats than bernier.
why would you waive bernier? that doesn’t make any sense. if you’d rather see sparks start, that’s fine, but waiving bernier isn’t logical.
joke. no one would take him for free.
You didn’t say it had to be logical.
Justin Fisher–What would you do with Bernier?If you sit him or play him his confidence level should be rock bottom by the end of the year.He isn’t worth an empty water bottle right now by the way the Reimer trade went down.
Put him on waivers and hopt to hell someone is foolish enough to pick him up.At least you clear another contract.
You play him. If he bombs, so what? If he gets his head back, you have an asset to move next year at the deadline. Rebuilds are about getting value for assets. Waiving a guy doesn’t do that. Clearing a contract doesn’t actually do anything for the team. They aren’t hurting for space.
Lol, Reimer so overrated
Reimer is what he is. A terrific back-up goalie for the NHL.