Differing perspectives emerged out of the Toronto locker room Tuesday after the Maple Leafs 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. On one hand, goaltender James Reimer, who stopped 28 of 31 shots in the loss, said he though he played "good," while head coach Randy Carlyle thought Reimer was "just OK."
Meanwhile, Reimer's agent offered this take on the situation:
As is customary in Toronto, when your team plays poor defensively game after game you blame your goalie.
— Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) March 19, 2014
All three of Detroit's goals were scored either on a breakaway, partial breakaway or an odd-man rush, and although the Maple Leafs outshot the Red Wings by a margin of 33-31, they rank dead last in the NHL after allowing an average of 36.3 shots per game.
Overall, Reimer - who has made only 26 starts this season - has posted a save percentage of .913, a number that's boosted to .925 at even strength. Jonathan Bernier, currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, boasts a .919 save percentage (.935 at even strength) and has clearly earned the trust of head coach Randy Carlyle.
For the time being, the reins are in Reimer's hands, and could remain there for some time depending on the severity of Bernier's injury. The 26-year old, however, is set to be a restricted free agent at season's end, and could be heading out of Toronto at some point during the offseason.
