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.
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