The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded goaltender Jonathan Bernier to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional 2017 draft pick, the team announced on Friday.
The Maple Leafs have traded Jonathan Bernier to the Anaheim Ducks. #TMLtalk
DETAILS: https://t.co/fx0B678C1J
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 8, 2016
The Leafs were eager to move their former starting goalie and his $4.15 million cap hit following the acquisition of Frederik Andersen. After signing Andersen to a five-year deal, Bernier saw the writing on the wall.
Why wasn’t Bernier originally included in the previous trade between the two teams? Money.
Bernier was not included in the Andersen trade because Leafs had to pay a $2-million bonus on July 1. But that's essentially what happened.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) July 8, 2016
The match with the Ducks is ideal. John Gibson is a promising goaltender who will carry the load in net for the foreseeable future, but Bernier can fill in as a spot starter need be. He’s got experience under new head coach Randy Carlyle from his Toronto stint and at one time was considered a good starter.
Bernier has had one of the toughest jobs in hockey over the past three seasons, playing behind a largely inept Leafs defense. His save percentage has dipped from .923, to .912 to .908 respectively in the last three seasons as he’s gone from number one starter to a liability in net. But, despite his value hitting rock bottom this season, it’s a nice gamble by Anaheim to pick him up on the cheap and hope he will return to form. He’s just 27 and there’s a chance he can rise back to prominence.
No matter what the conditions are, Bernier needed out of Toronto to revitalize both his confidence and his career. Anaheim’s not a bad place to do that.
