Jonas Gustavsson 2010-11 Preview

Maple Leafs brass had high hopes for Jonas Gustavsson - otherwise known as 'The Monster' - last season after beating out three other teams to sign the acrobatic goalie. There was reason for optimism after Gustavsson was coming off a spectacular season in the Swedish Elite League, where he posted stellar numbers en route to winning the Le Mat Trophy after Farjestad was crown league champions. He also displayed his size and athleticism at the 2009 World Hockey Championships, where Sweden took home a silver medal. However, Gustavsson was forced to leave the tournament to be with his ill mother.

After signing with the Maple Leafs, J-Gus came over to North America to meet with Leafs management and players and become familiar with the city of Toronto. He trained with the team throughout August and into September, although dealt with two heart ablations during the Leafs training camp in September. This caused a significant setback for the rookie and put the team into a rather uncomfortable position. Fans wanted to see Gustavsson carry the load to determine if he was the real deal, but Ron Wilson handed the reins to Vesa Toskala. After going 0-7-1 out of the gate, the Leafs had already taken two proverbial steps back under Toskala.

Gustavsson made his first appearance on October 3rd against the Washington Capitals, but posted back-to-back losses in his first two starts. After surrendering five goals against over those two games, fans were cautiously optimistic over Gustavsson’s potential as a starting goalie in the NHL. As the season progressed and the rookie adjusted to the National Hockey League, it became clear that he has the abilities to carry the Leafs as the club’s number one goaltender.

It was solidified when Vesa Toskala, the former starting goalie, was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks along with Jason Blake, in exchange for Stanley Cup winner and former Conn Smythe winner Jean-Sebastien Giguere. This move marked a changing of the guard for the Leafs and showed the organization’s faith in Gustavsson. Giguere was brought in to provide veteran leadership and competition for the 25-year old Swede. From that point on, Gustavsson posted a 7-game win streak, along with a 2.00 GAA and 0.929 SV%. He capitalized on his opportunity and made up for several early season gaffes.

With several new off season additions and the news that Kaberle is returning, most of the storylines surrounding the blue and white do not involve Gustavsson. Despite his importance to this team, the pressure heading into this season isn’t overwhelming. It may prove to be a good thing for him because he had to deal with so much pressure last season and was forced to play in a much different environment in Toronto than he faced in Sweden. Armed with a new contract and sense of confidence, Gustavsson is poised to breakout this season as a legitimate starting goaltender. One could say the Leafs will only go as far as 'The Monster' does.

2009-10 Statistics
42 games, 16 wins, 15 losses, 9 overtime losses, 0.902 SV%, 2.87 GAA, 1 shutout

2010-11 Prediction
44 games, 23 wins, 15 losses, 6 overtime losses, 0.910 SV%, 2.52 GAA, 3 shutouts

3 Burning Questions

1 - Will Jonas Gustavsson develop into a legitimate starting goaltender for the Leafs this season?

2 - Does Gustavsson have the durability to start a stretch of games or does he benefit from rotating with a veteran backup?

3 - How many wins will Gustavsson earn this season?

Feel free to chime in with your answers or share your predictions in the comments section.