Maple Leafs’ Hiller May Be Sending the Wrong Message With Bobrovsky

On the surface, it is easy to blame Sergei Bobrovsky for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ consecutive losses against the Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken. Some of the goals he surrendered were stoppable, and the timing of those mistakes mattered. But beyond the goals, there is a bigger question for head coach Jim Hiller: How do we hold a veteran goaltender accountable while also rewarding a backup who has been doing his job?

That question makes the Kraken loss particularly interesting. Bobrovsky’s performance deserves scrutiny, but so does the decision to put him right back in the net after a difficult night in Calgary. Meanwhile, Toronto has another encouraging development: Gavin McKenna may be finding another gear.

Bobrovsky’s Struggles Are Becoming Difficult to Ignore

We understand that goaltending is only one part of the game. However, the three goals Bobrovsky allowed against the Flames are difficult to overlook. Two came on unscreened shots from the short side, areas that generally aren’t considered high-danger scoring locations. The third came from a similar area, with Bobrovsky appearing to overplay the situation after the earlier goals.

Seattle brought similar concerns. The fourth goal came from a familiar location, high on the glove side. After that goal, a broadcast graphic showed that 26 of the 33 goals Bobrovsky has allowed as a Maple Leaf have beaten him high: 10 high on the blocker side and 16 high on the glove side.

We should acknowledge that these were good shots. NHL shooters can make life difficult for even the best goaltenders, and no goalie is expected to stop everything. Still, when similar shots keep finding the net, the pattern deserves attention.

The late winner in Seattle was particularly painful. Toronto battled back to tie the game, only for a shot directed at Bobrovsky to slip by him. We don’t consider his season a disaster; he’s been competent enough without stealing many games. But these last two outings haven’t been good enough. And yet, he isn’t the only one we should be questioning.

Hiller’s Goaltending Decision Sends a Message

Consider the sequence of which goalie starts which games. Anthony Stolarz started Toronto’s 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky surrendered four goals in a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers, before Stolarz returned for the 7-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Bobrovsky then struggled in Calgary, but Hiller went back to him against the Kraken.

We can understand the thinking. Coaches often want to give a veteran another chance to respond after a poor performance. But what message does that decision send to Stolarz, who had delivered two excellent outings? Does it suggest that, regardless of his performance, Bobrovsky remains the preferred option?

Toronto brought Bobrovsky in to help the team when the stakes are highest, particularly in the playoffs. We don’t see why playing him in consecutive October games should take priority over rewarding a backup who has earned another start.

For us, the decision to return to Bobrovsky in Seattle was questionable. If Hiller wants accountability and competition throughout his lineup, that principle needs to apply in goal, too. You can’t pin the loss entirely on the coach, but his decision deserves scrutiny.

McKenna May Be Ready to Take Off

All that said, the Seattle game had a brighter story. We knew that Gavin McKenna would eventually reach a point where the game began to slow down for him. We saw that ability in college and junior hockey, and we wondered when it would translate consistently to the NHL.

His three-point game against the Kraken offered encouragement. Beyond his offensive contributions, we noticed his speed and defensive commitment. He got back to break up several plays, showing that he can contribute when Toronto doesn’t have the puck. McKenna can still try to do too much with the puck in dangerous areas. But young, talented players sometimes need room to experiment and learn where the fine line lies between creativity and unnecessary risk.

We also wonder about Hiller’s approach to the rookie. When reporters raise McKenna’s positive performances, the coach has sometimes responded by emphasizing what the youngster still needs to improve. It brings to mind the Mike Babcock approach, where praise can seem harder to find than criticism.

The Bottom Line for Hiller and the Maple Leafs

We like how Hiller has the Maple Leafs playing, and we believe his coaching style suits today’s NHL better than Craig Berube’s. Still, some of his public comments and personnel decisions leave us uneasy.

The challenge now is to get the most out of both his veteran goaltender and his promising young forward. Bobrovsky needs to respond, McKenna needs room to grow, and Hiller needs to show that performance matters. How he handles those three things could tell us plenty about the Maple Leafs moving forward.

[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]