Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.28

www.afootinthecrease.com

Toronto has always been a town that has loved their netminders, or so we thought, until this year brought the arrival of Andrew Raycroft. Prior to this season, Maple Leaf netminders had been among fan favourites for the past 15 seasons. Felix Potvin took the Leafs on an improbable playoff run as a rookie in 1994. Curtis Joseph, whose goaltending style would often be confused with that of an acrobat’s, on many nights, led the Leafs to victories on his own stealing countless games during his tenure in the net. Ed Belfour set a record for the most wins in a single season by a Leaf netminder and single handedly beat the Ottawa Senators in the 2004 playoffs. Before them, who can forget Johnny Bower and Turk Broda, both Stanley Cup winning netminders with the Leafs and Bower, still as popular as ever when he is spotted lurking through the corridors of ACC.

For a town that seems to take quickly to its netminders, Andrew Raycroft has yet to be shown the love. Very strange considering Raycroft is closing right in on Belfour’s single season wins record. Five wins short with ten games remaining, if the Leafs will make the playoffs this season, Raycroft will set this record. So then in a league that is all about wins, why is a guy who is about to become the Leafs most successful netminder in that regard still given only lukewarm receptions. Perhaps because Raycroft is coming off a terrible season and people still have a “show me” state of mind. Keep in mind Belfour was 21-27 in the season before he became a Leaf. Maybe it’s because of the stretch in November and December where Raycroft struggled mightily. It could even be Raycroft’s non spectacular style, very unlike the one used by Joseph.

Raycroft may not have taken the spectacular approach to 32 wins but the fact is he has done it. While this would certainly be good enough in some markets, in Toronto it will likely take some playoff success before Leaf fans anoint Raycroft, “one of our boys.” But hey, all that was just rigamarole.