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Leafs are looking for ‘a good pro’ to be Andersen’s backup

Mike Babcock

Mike Babcock

AP

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a pair of trades involving goaltenders this off-season. They acquired Frederik Andersen from the Ducks and shipped Jonathan Bernier to Anaheim in a separate trade just a few weeks later.

The moves have given the Leafs what appears to be a legitimate number one goalie in Andersen, but they might not be done diving into the goalie market, according to head coach Mike Babcock.

“Acquiring [Andersen] was a big deal for our team,” Babcock said, per NHL.com. “We think it gives us a top-flight goaltender, gives us a starter.

“Now we have to find a good pro to come in and support him, and we’ll do that.”

The in-house options appear to be limited. The only goalie on the roster who has any NHL experience is Garret Sparks and he’s played just 17 games at that level. The 23-year-old will likely continue to develop in the American Hockey League instead of sitting on the bench with the big club.

So, what are the realistic options for Toronto?

Jhonas Enroth is still on the free agent market. He spent last season as Jonathan Quick’s backup in Los Angeles. The 28-year-old played just 16 games in 2015-16 and is looking for an opportunity to play a little more. He won’t be the starter if he signs with the Maple Leafs, but he’ll likely play more than 16 games.

Karri Ramo has played 111 games with the Calgary Flames since returning to the NHL from the KHL back in 2013. He has plenty of experience and could be one of those “good pros” that Mike Babcock is looking for.

The Leafs might also look to one of their rivals to find their next backup goalie. Could Mike Condon be available in Montreal? The 26-year-old got off to a great start last season, but like his team, he faded as the season wore on. He’s under contract for one more season at a reasonable cap hit of $575,000. Montreal will have a healthy Carey Price next season and they signed Al Montoya on July 1st which means they could part ways with Condon.