Leafs Talking to Kiprusoff

Apparently the Maple Leafs are talking to Mikka Kiprussoff’s agent about a possible move to Toronto. As a big Leafs fan, I’m pretty excited, not only for the netminder’s experience, big game ability, and notable past performances, but also for the opportunity to refer to him as ‘Kipper’ without feeling weird.

His stats have seen a significant decline from previous years, which can be attributed to either his age (36) or the sprained MCL that he suffered earlier in the season. In either case, speculation is that he’s available on the cheap, as witnessed from the Calgary Flames’ trading of Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a first rounder and collegians that may never even get the chance to take a pregame skate with a NHL club.

Kiprusoff’s productivity may be in question, but in the past he has consistently been one of the most dominant and exciting goaltenders to watch in his 9 years since moving from San Jose to Calgary when the Sharks gambled on Evgeni Nabakov as their number one for the future. He may not be as quick, agile, or consistent as he once was, but I bet there’s still some magic left in him. With a name like ‘Kipper’ how could there not be?

A change of scenery and a different set of dynamics may be exactly what he needs to reignite whatever he has left. It would not be the first time that an overaged goalie who was proclaimed past his prime, changed teams and remerged as a solid backstop.

When Ed Belfour came to the Leafs in 2003 he was 38. He was considered old, fragile, and all but finished. In the subsequent two and a half years he put up great numbers and made the Leafs legitimate Stanley Cup contenders until his back finally broke down in 2006.

Dwayne Roloson has repeatedly arisen much after his supposed best-before date to give teams huge playoff boosts. In 2006 and at 36 years of age, Roloson took the Oilers to within a game of winning the Stanley Cup before bowing out to the Carolina Hurricanes. In 2011 when he was 41 years old, he took the Lightning to the Conference Finals.

At 36, with injuries and a crumbling team overlooking a massive reconstruction in Calgary, Mikka Kiprusoff may still have a lot to offer a playoff-bound team like the Leafs. Their current tandem - James Reimer and Ben Scrivens - have not fared poorly this year by any means (a combined 20-12-4 record), but their lack of playoff experience and inconsistent play at times, have raised some concerns that can be  easily addressed by the veteran keeper’s presence. In addition, his potential acquisition could give Toronto a vital confidence boost and possibly much more as they gear up for the post-season.

If Mikka Kiprusoff is available for a reasonable price, Leafs GM Dave Nonis shouldn’t think twice. Also, that rhymed.