At this moment, it’s a good time to be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sitting at 5-1-0, the team is off to their best start, in terms of points gained, since 1993-94, they have a balanced scoring attack, have found ways to win in games they shouldn’t have won, and possess superb goaltending. The last two reasons seem to go hand-in-hand with one another, as solid goaltending, specifically from Jonathan Bernier, has kept the Leafs afloat at times in situations when it appeared they were going to sink.
When Bernier was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in June, many questioned GM Dave Nonis’ logic in making the deal. James Reimer was coming off an outstanding, albeit shortened season, in which he posted the highest save percentage of any Leafs goalie since the stat was introduced in 1983. Many also wondered if having two potential #1 goalies would cause a dilemma similar to the Luongo/Schneider debacle in Vancouver. And though we’re only six games into the season, it seems as if Nonis’ critics have been silenced for now. Bernier appears to have taken over the #1 spot for, going 4-1-0, with a 1.75 GAA, and a .946 SV%.
This column isn’t simply to gush over Bernier’s stats though, but to discuss his style of play. A friend of mine asked me what I thought of Bernier, and if his style reminded me of another ‘tendy in the league. He gave his own opinion, saying Bernier’s calm, conservative game reminded him of Carey Price.
I don’t think that’s untrue by any means, but there was another goaltender comparison that came to mind, that being Marty Brodeur. Now I must clarify, I’m not stating that Bernier is going to break wins and shutout records like Brodeur has done in New Jersey. Remember, my intent is to find a keeper with a similar style, and to that end I’m stating his play has appeared to be close to Marty’s. I have four examples that I think showcase their similarities:
- They both love to challenge. Like Brodeur, Bernier isn’t afraid to challenge and come out to the top of the crease to cut-down angles, without overplaying the situation. It’s something I haven’t seen in a Leafs goalie in awhile, with Reimer usually prone to staying a bit deeper in the crease, and Gustavsson traditionally overplaying shots. This way of challenging the shooter is a sign of confidence, and a perfect example of Bernier showing this would be his save on Seth Jones this past Thursday. It was a one-on-one situation, yet Bernier stayed square, came out to the top of the crease, showed no signs of being intimidated, and made a nice pad save.This style may be due to necessity as due to Bernier’s height (5’11” according to HockeyDB), he is one of the shortest goalies in the NHL today. Due to this, there are always going to be differences in style from most other goalies in the league. Bernier needs to come out and challenge shooters even more than your average goalie in an attempt to appear bigger and maximize the size he has.
- He’s not strictly a butterfly goalie. I would consider labeling Bernier as a hybrid goalie like Brodeur. Both are capable of the butterfly style, but also make what would now be known as unconventional saves. Whether it be sprawling while throwing a poke-check to stop the Avs’ John Mitchell last Tuesday, or the drop to one-knee pad save on the Oilers Jesse Joensuu on Saturday, Bernier has been breaking the mold of the now common drop to the butterfly save, and is making certain stops that remind me of not only Brodeur, but also Curtis Joseph.
- He’s got a wicked glove hand. Brodeur has long been known as the possessor of one of the best glove hands in the games history, and Bernier’s has looked similar in what I’ve seen so far. Unlike Reimer, who seems to almost stab at the puck, Bernier has an old-school bottom to top catching approach like Brodeur. Example: his point-blank save on Clarke MacArthur against Ottawa.
- He can play the puck exceptionally well. Brodeur has long been thought of as the greatest puck-playing goalie of all-time. Marty is so calm, so cool, and has pinpoint accuracy with his passes, and sometimes even with his shots! Bernier has carried that same calm when under pressure demeanor playing the puck that Brodeur has. For instance, look at his play this past Saturday. With the Oilers Mark Arcobello barreling down on him, Bernier kept it cool, and made an excellent pass to Mason Raymond creating a breakout.
Jonathan Bernier has been excellent in between the pipes so far for the Leafs, and I know it’s only six games into the regular season, but as a Leafs fan, he’s made me smile, and can you really blame me? Since the 2004-05 lockout, I’ve had to deal with Raycroft, Tellqvist, Toskala, Gustavsson, Gerber, CuJo 2.0, McDonald, and Giguere. So to have two very capable goalies in Bernier and Reimer (who still has a great upside) is a breath of fresh air for this Leafs fan. And though it’s unlikely Bernier will duplicate Brodeur’s success in terms of stats and records, a guy can certainly hope right?
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