January 31 was an exciting day for Leafs Nation. Not only did they acquire their new captain Dion Phaneuf, they also acquired what they thought to be their No. 1 goalie in J.S. Giguere.
Giguere was dealt from the Ducks for two players who never lived up to expectations (Jason Blake and Vesa Toskala). Both were brought to Toronto under expensive circumstances, Blake got a huge five-year, $20 million deal and Toskala was brought in for three draft picks (first and second in 2007, and a fourth in 2009).
So when Brian Burke managed to trade those expensive busts for a proven winner in Giguere, it seemed like his quick rebuild was coming together nicely. Giguere wasn't exactly a cheap acquisition, coming in with a $6 million cap hit but his deal is done after the 2011 season.
Giguere was getting a chance to play in Toronto and it rubbed off on the players. Not only does the team score more goals on average with him in net, they seem a lot calmer in front of him. Additionally, his presence calmed down Jonas Gustavsson and Jonas' play improved as the season wore on.
While Gustavsson appears to be the goalie of the future, he's not ready to c ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Brandon Warnes
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