Jonas Gustavsson News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

March 30

Toronto Sun

"Jonas Gustavsson could be as well as gone when the Maple Leafs' season ends on April 7, but the goaltender is not thinking that far ahead. Asked whether he wants to make a final good impression before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, Gustavsson didn't bite. I try not to think about that," Gustavsson said on Thursday morning. "It's not the first time I have been in that situation, whether it is the last five games or the first five games, you always want to make an impression. "What's going to happen next year is going to wait for a while." And never mind Gustavsson's long-range future. He suffered a leg injury during the warmup on Thursday night and was replaced by Jussi"

Leafs Goaltender Gustavsson Suffers Injury In Warmups

March 29

TSN.ca

"Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson was helped off the ice prior to Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers after suffering an apparent knee injury. Trainers rushed to Gustavsson's aid after he went down while taking shots during warmups. Gustavsson took a shot from Clarke MacArthur off his left knee and was favouring that leg as he limped to the dressing room. Gustavsson was scheduled to start against the Flyers."

Carlyle sticks with Gustavsson

March 12

Toronto Sun

"Is it a disdain for James Reimer? Or a coach's affection for Jonas Gustavsson? Randy Carlyle says it's neither. "I put the goalie in who I think will give us the best chance for success," the Maple Leafs coach said after his team dropped a 2-0 decision to the host Washington Capitals on Sunday at the Verizon Center. Obviously, in Carlyle's mind, that is Gustavsson, who has started all five games since the former Anaheim Ducks bench boss took over from the fired Ron Wilson a week ago last Friday. In that span, Gustavsson has compiled a 1-3-1 mark, which is a bit misleading when you consider he has allowed just 11 goals in those five games."

Razor-sharp Monster betrayed by Leafs' lack of finish

March 11

Toronto Star

columnist Rosie DiManno

"Jonas Gustavsson braced, watched the shooter approaching with almost languid stroking of skates, goalie's eyes flicking from head to shoulders to stick to puck. What would Claude Giroux do? Earlier in a game that had been deadlocked at zeros after 60 minutes of regulation time and five minutes of OT, the sensational Philadelphia winger had aimed for the top corner on a breakaway and been thwarted. "I thought maybe he was going to try that again," Gustavsson said later, after the Flyers had eked out a 1-0 win over Toronto in the shootout. "You can't really know with those skill guys. "I just tried to be patient, wait him out. He actually did a great move. I felt like I still had a chance to"

Gustavsson's fatal flaw

March 9

Toronto Sun

"For all the improvements, all the spectacular saves, all the hard work and effort Jonas Gustavsson has made this season, a rotten stench continues to linger over his desire to become a legitimate No. 1 goalie. The foul odour comes from the stinky goals he continues to allow on an alarmingly regular basis. Gustavsson was outstanding at times in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, keeping the high-octane Penguins off the scoreboard in a first period that saw Evgeni Malkin and co. get out to a 9-1 edge in shots on goal. But all that fine work by the uber-competitive Maple Leafs goaltender was flushed away in the third period when he whiffed on an easily stoppable backhand by the Pens' Pascal"

Leafs goalies will benefit from new coach Randy Carlyle's defence-first approach

March 6

Toronto Star

"Randy Carlyle won't say that Jonas Gustavsson is starting Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. Gustavsson is, by the way. James Reimer let that piece of information slip. It's not that Carlyle is trying to hide anything or play games with the media. "I'm superstitious," said Carlyle. "This is the way I look at goaltending: We make a decision as a coaching staff to put the goaltender in who's going to give us the best chance for success. "The goaltender that plays is not expected to go out and be our saviour. He's expected to give us a chance to win. That's what we ask."

Leafs goaltending coach defends his guys

February 23

Toronto Sun

"In January, when the Maple Leafs allowed three goals or less in 12 straight games, Francois Allaire was getting lots of praise for the club's improved goaltending. On Wednesday, Allaire was trying to protect his reputation and that of the struggling James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson. With neither stopper playing well of late and Toronto's playoff hopes taking a hit, the reknowned instructor assured that both young goalies would get through these "bumps" in their career. Gustavsson allowed a terrible overtime winner on Tuesday night against the Devils that compounded some iffy goals in regulation. "We have two young kids in the net, not a lot of experience," Allaire reminded reporters at"

Gustavsson lets in weak one in OT

February 22

Toronto Sun

"After a fairly brutal Western Canada trip that left them questioning themselves, the Maple Leafs clawed back a bit of their confidence on Tuesday night. That came in a 4-3 overtime loss against the New Jersey Devils at the Air Canada Centre, one that guaranteed them a point in the tight confines of the Eastern Conference. Because the Winnipeg Jets also lost in extra time, against the Philadelphia Flyers, nothing changed in the standings, with both clubs having 65 points. The Leafs remain in eighth place, as they have two games in hand over ninth-place Winnipeg. But if the Leafs aren't questioning their goaltending publicly, you have to wonder what's going on behind closed doors. Jonas"

Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson to start against Devils

February 21

Toronto Star

"Jonas Gustavsson will start in net for the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devil on an evening when defenceman Carl Gunnarsson should return to the lineup. And Joffrey Lupul, who missed practice Monday, should also play, said coach Ron Wilson. Gustavsson beat the Devils in his only appearance against New Jersey this year. Gustavsson and James Reimer have been struggling lately. The Leafs have lost five of their last six games, but are 1-0-1 against the Devils this year. "We've got to play better in front of the goalies," said Wilson. "They know what the situation is. They worked hard in practice and hopefully they can get the job done.""

Reimer, Gustavsson in sharing mood

February 3

Toronto Sun

"So a Monster and a Minister walk into a bar ... and come out smiling. Where some NHL teams have had to keep their goaltenders separated in the dressing room and even trade one to keep the peace, Jonas (the Monster) Gustavsson and James (Reim Minister of Defence) Reimer have learned to co-exist in their battle to be the No. 1 on the Maple Leafs. It helps that each are in the formative stage of their career, instead of two gnarled veterans used to having things their own way. A few years ago, the Red Wings loaded up with Curtis Joseph and Dominik Hasek, who barely spoke. Manny Legace, then a third stringer, was moved to the dressing stall between them where teammates promptly nicknamed him"

Maple Leafs, Gustavsson shut out Islanders

January 24

Toronto Star

"It may well be that GM Brian Burke has already traded for that top-six scoring forward. His name is Matthew Lombardi. Maybe you've see him — that flash of speed on the second line. Lombardi scored twice on Monday night, leading the Maple Leafs to a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders as Jonas Gustavsson picked up his third shutout in the month of January. Cast as the guy — or the contract — the Maple Leafs had to take so they could get defenceman Cody Franson from Nashville, Lombardi recovered from his concussion sooner than most expected."

Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson's calm pays off in hockey-mad Toronto

January 21

Toronto Star

"Jonas Gustavsson had quite the adventure behind the net during Thursday's 4-1 win over Minnesota. The Leaf goalie's stick lay behind his net, and he had no way of retrieving it as the play continued. Gustavsson appeared apoplectic, at least in comparison to his usually calm, soft spoken manner. He motioned for someone, anyone, to get him the stick. When that didn't work, he began yelling in his native Swedish at fellow countryman Carl Gunnarsson, and finally got the stick, and the message, across. "I started yelling in Swedish so Carl would know something was wrong," Gustavsson said. Gustavsson was forced to make a pair of saves, without the stick, on a shot by Kyle Brodziak and a rebound"

Goalies sharing starts not all that bad

January 18

Toronto Sun

columnist Steve Simmons

"Forty games are gone, the Maple Leafs don't have a definitive starting goaltender, and Denis Potvin thinks that's just fine. In fact, he thinks more teams should look at splitting the 82-game schedule up, the way his New York Islanders did when he they won four straight Stanley Cups in the 1980s, rather than riding one goalie. "I think a lot of NHL teams are finding out they've been wrong," said Potvin, one of the greatest defenceman to ever play. "Billy Smith never played more than 50 games in any of the seasons we won the Cup. You don't have to have a definitive No. 1 during the season if you have two goalies who can play. Then you can run one — the hot guy — in the playoffs." Smith won"

If it's 'win and you're in,' Monster's out

January 15

Toronto Star

columnist Rosie DiManno

"Ron Wilson was bound to come out looking like a genius or a dumdum. It's that fine a line — or coin toss — on strategic personnel decisions, and most particularly the goalie call. Jonas or James? The Monster or The Mensch, by which no disrespect is intended to J. Reimer, meaning only that he's just about the most amiable mook in pro sports these days, even throughout the fortnight of game inactivity since a New Year's Eve loss in Winnipeg. When last accosted by a media scrum, after J. Gustavsson had absorbed a 3-2 loss in Buffalo, the Leaf bench boss was still pondering who would start Saturday against the visiting Manhattanites, whilst discouraging journos from conjecturing on his behalf."

Tough to dislodge The Monster from the Leafs' net

January 12

Toronto Star

"Remember James Reimer? You know, the goalie who was supposed to lead the Maple Leafs to the promised land of the playoffs this season? The pride of Manitoba has been pushed aside, at least for now, by Jonas Gustavsson, who has won four straight games and nine of his last 12 starts. Now if we take coach Ron Wilson at his word of playing a goalie until he loses, The Monster should be back in the net on Friday when Toronto travels down the QEW to Buffalo looking for their fifth consecutive win."

Game on for Leaf goalies in battle of the crease

January 12

Toronto Star

columnist Damien Cox

"In October, James Reimer was, by consensus, the player whose performance would define the year for the Maple Leafs. Four months later, it's Reimer on the bench while Jonas Gustavsson, it would appear, has saved the season and now owns the Leaf net. One suspects, however, that just as quickly as the goaltending see-saw has tilted in Gustavsson's favour, it could easily tilt back towards Reimer. They are two young goalies looking to establish themselves as bona fide NHL-calibre netminders. Right now, it's still about whether either or both are in the NHL to stay, and about a competition in the Leaf crease that began as one-sided in the fall but is now very much up for grabs."

Monster scary good

January 11

Toronto Sun

"It used to be that The Monster scared the hell out of his own coach as much as the opposition, with his inconsistency and knack for letting in soft goals on a regular basis. But for the first time since the Maple Leafs acquired him in July of 2009, Jonas Gustavsson is looking — on a consistent basis — like a front-line NHL goaltender, the kind of netminder that can carry a team into the playoffs. "It's huge," said Leafs coach Ron Wilson, when asked what Gustavsson's play is doing for the mood inside the dressing room these days. "You saw what happened last year when James (Reimer) came in and started playing really well. All of a sudden, we were scoring more goals and everything seemed to"

Red-hot Monster making all the right moves for Leafs

January 11

Toronto Star

columnist Dave Feschuk

"It would have been difficult to predict, as this NHL season began in October, that Tuesday night's Sabres-Leafs tilt would bring a January storyline quite like this one. A few months ago, maybe even a handful of weeks ago, if you'd have been asked to guess the goaltender who'd bag his second shutout in three games with a 32-save, first-star performance, probably your third choice would have been the oft-maligned Monster, the Leafs' season-opening backup, Jonas Gustavsson. And certainly there were bigger nicknames in the building on which to risk your prognosticator's cred. There was a former Vezina winner who has dubbed himself Miller Time. There was Toronto's opening-night starter, the"

It's the Monster's mesh

January 5

Toronto Sun

"Win and stay in. With that in mind, Jonas Gustavsson will start in goal for the Maple Leafs on Thursday night when the Winnipeg Jets visit the Air Canada Centre. For now, and this could change tomorrow, Leafs coach Ron Wilson has thrown his support behind Gustavsson, who has been maligned for poor play at times this season and lauded at others for sharp performances. "Right now, I think the Monster gives us as good a chance to win (as James Reimer does)," Wilson said after the Leafs practised in the cold January air before hundreds of fans at the outdoor Sunnyvale Acres Rink in Rexdale. "As long as he is winning, he is going to keep playing. If Reims goes in there and he gets hot, he is"

Gustavsson staying positive

November 17

Toronto Sun

"Jonas Gustavsson is facing the reality that he has become third on the Maple Leafs' goaltending chart with a stiff upper lip. "This should be a hard competition," Gustavsson said on Wednesday. "(Ben) Scrivens is playing well. I just have to be positive and be ready for the next chance." Gustavsson claimed he had no idea the Leafs are keeping their eyes open for an experienced netminder. If they acquire one before James Reimer returns, Gustavsson could be bound for the Toronto Marlies. Gustavsson is 4-4 this season with a 3.78 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage. "It's the first time I have heard it," Gustavsson said. "There are always going to be rumours.""

'The Monster' not scaring anyone

November 10

Toronto Sun

columnist Mike Zeisberger

"Once wined and dined like some kind of rock icon, Jonas Gustavsson's star is fading fast. With his contract with the Maple Leafs set to expire at the end of the season, Gustavsson has done a poor on-ice job of dissuading Toronto management from cutting bait with him come next summer. While no one likes to see a stand-up kid like James Reimer have his career temporarily interrupted by injury, his absence set the stage for Gustavsson to stake his claim as a bonafide starting goalie in the National Hockey League. Several weeks later, his inconsistent play has left him battling for playing time with Ben Scrivens, who was toiling in the East Coast league a year ago. It says here it is time for"

Gustavsson happy to share net with Scrivens

November 7

Toronto Star

"Leaf goaltender Jonas Gustavsson said he wasn't upset or even surprised that Ben Scrivens got the start on Saturday against the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. "He (Scrivens) played really well the last game he played," said Gustavsson, of a 38-save, 4-1 win in Columbus on Thursday. "He really did a great job. So I'm not surprised he got the start, he deserved it." Gustavsson, who replaced Scrivens in the second period with the score 5-0 Boston, was asked if he and Scrivens were ready to carry the load if James Reimer would be out long term with a concussion."

Kessel scores winner, Monster solid as Leafs down Pens 4-3

October 30

Toronto Star

"Jonas Gustavsson just keeps on winning. The Leaf goalie is being cheered again by the faithful at the Air Canada Centre. He'll most likely make his fourth straight start, and sixth straight appearance, when the Leafs venture to Ottawa on Sunday for a game against the Senators. Gustavsson has won three of his last four games, including Saturday's 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins as the angst over James Reimer's whiplash injury seems to have abated. "He needed to play and because of this injury (to Reimer), he's looking confident," said Leafs coach Ron Wilson. "He played great. Made a number of big saves when we needed them. He's a lot more calm handling the puck behind the net. It's"

Monstrous

October 26

Toronto Star

columnist Damien Cox

"At some point, the Maple Leafs are going to have to start dealing in facts when it comes to The Monster, goalie Jonas Gustavsson. Pretty much every game Gustavsson plays, he gives up a whack of goals, almost always three or more. Every game Ron Wilson and Brian Burke and many Leaf fans go out of their way to say it wasn't his fault, that he could have sued his defence for non-support, that you can't pin this one on him. The latest episode in this exercise came Monday night in Philly when the Leafs lost 4-2. Gustavsson gave up the four goals on 30 shots, not considered a terribly onerous burden for an NHL goalie to bear. He was busy, sure. He made two or three very good saves. He stopped"

Gustavsson can't save Leafs

October 25

Toronto Sun

"No need to remind Jonas Gustavsson that it had been a while since he started a game and finished it with a win. He's still waiting after the Leafs lost 4-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers here Monday night, but this time the Monster was far from a horror show. Getting his second start in three games replacing the injured James Reimer, Gustavsson kept his team in the game for the longest time. But when one of the league's all-time greatest scorers was handed three breakaways, what's a backup to do? Jaromir Jagr, the 39-year-old sensation who hadn't scored an NHL goal in 1,296 days, converted on two of those breakaways, ultimately providing the margin of victory for his team. "Of course"

Leafs' Gustavsson aims to keep Reimer on his toes

September 20

Edmonton Journal

"One eye pointed forward, the other staring at the rear-view mirror. That is how Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson is approaching this upcoming NHL season. The 26-year-old, who is in the final year of his contract, is planning to push expected starter James Reimer for playing time. He also knows that a bigger challenge might be in keeping prospects like Ben Scrivens, Jussi Rynnas and Mark Owuya from taking his job. "At this level, there's always a lot of good goalies," said Gustavsson, who started Monday's 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators, splitting the exhibition game with Scrivens. "You can't sit back and be satisfied or else some young guy is going to take your spot"

Gustavsson ready to challenge for No. 1

September 20

Toronto Star

"By all accounts, the battle to be James Reimer's backup in the Maple Leafs net starts Monday night with Jonas Gustavsson and rookie Ben Scrivens sharing the puck-stopping duties against the Ottawa Senators. Gustavsson, however, isn't ready to throw in the towel. He intends to push Reimer and may the best goalie win. "It's going to be a tough competition for me . . . James is a good goalie but I'm not satisfied (just being Reimer's backup)," Gustavsson, 26, said before the Leafs first preseason game at the Air Canada Centre."

Healthy Gustavsson says he's ready to compete with Reimer

June 21

Toronto Star

"Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson said he's looking forward to battling James Reimer for the top job in net this year. "Reimer has shown he's a great goalie," said Gustavsson. "It's probably going to be tougher for him next year because he'll have more pressure on him next year. I'm sure he can handle it. "But I'm here to compete, too. I'm going to push him and push myself. It's going to be me and him. It's going to be a great duo.""

Reimer and Monster show for next season?

April 13

Toronto Sun

"James Reimer, in the view of Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, will write the team's goaltending story in 2011-12. It's those who provide the footnotes that remain somewhat unclear. "We're confident James Reimer can handle not only the physical workload," Burke said, "but the pressure-cooker workload of being a starting goaltender in a Canadian market." Reimer established himself as a No. 1 goalie in the schedule's most gruelling stretches, compiling a 20-10-5 record with a .921 save percentage and three shutouts as the Leafs came alive in the second half. But what of his backups? Jean-Sebastien Giguere is slated to have sports hernia surgery and will be a free agent on July 1."

Leafs goalies Giguere, Gustavsson back on ice

February 23

Toronto Star

"While rookie James Reimer remains a calm constant in the Maple Leafs' net, the organization's other goalies continue to rotate around him. Jonas Gustavsson has rejoined the Marlies to continue his conditioning stint while Jean-Sebastien Giguere was back on the ice at Tuesday's game-day skate. Even though he's working out again, Giguere acknowledged that his ongoing groin maladies have almost certainly taken him off the market leading up to the NHL's Feb. 28 trade deadline. Gustavsson had a third heart procedure, called an ablation, after his heart started racing again during a game on Feb. 9 while he was with the Marlies on a conditioning stint. Gustavsson has been working out with the"

Minor setback for Leafs' Gustavsson

February 13

Toronto Sun

"Leafs coach Ron Wilson believes the heart ablation surgery performed on goaltender Jonas Gustavsson on Friday in London, Ont., is minor enough but a setback nonetheless because of the time he's going to miss as he tries to get his game back on track. The Monster underwent a third procedure for the ailment after being pulled from a game Wednesday at the Ricoh Coliseum, interrupting a conditioning stint with the Marlies. While he's only supposed to be sidelined for a week, it will be two to three before he can be expected back in a game situation. "You're always concerned with anything to do with the heart, but he's been through two of these already and come out of them fine," Wilson said."

Gustavsson undergoes third heart operation

February 12

Toronto Star

"Goalie Jonas Gustavsson has had another medical setback related to his oft-troubled heart. The Swedish netminder underwent his third heart ablation procedure in the last 17 months on Friday, and has been placed on injured reserve. He pulled himself from a Marlies game on Wednesday after the first period, and saw his heart specialist Friday in London, Ont. In a release, the team called the operation "minor." He can begin workouts in seven days. "This ailment, unfortunately, cannot be remedied in a precise manner," said GM Brian Burke in an email. "We are hopeful that this latest procedure will permanently eliminate this issue for Jonas.""

Gustavsson exits Marlies game after heart troubles resurface

February 10

Toronto Star

"Maple Leaf goalie Jonas Gustavsson's heart problems have sidelined him yet again. Five days into a two-week conditioning assignment with the Toronto Marlies farm club, Gustavsson left the game after the first period of Wednesday's 9-2 win over the Connecticut Whale. Marlies' head coach Dallas Eakin told reporters that Gustavsson's heart rate had accelerated, and that he was removed from the game as a precaution. The team hasn't released further details about Gustavsson's latest cardiac episode, and it's not yet known whether the goalie — who had two heart surgeries last year — will need another operation."

Monster of the Marlies

February 6

Toronto Sun

"Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson's conditioning stint with the AHL Marlies got off to a good start Saturday night in Rochester. Gustavsson stopped 24 of 25 shots as the Marlies defeated the Rochester Americans 3-1. His shutout bid came to an end with 13:19 to go when Bill Thomas scored."

Leafs send Jonas Gustavsson to the Marlies

February 4

Toronto Star

"James Reimer is in, Jonas Gustavsson is out. At least for now. On the heels of Reimer's first career shutout — a 3-0 win over Carolina on Thursday — the Maple Leafs sent Gustavsson on loan to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League for conditioning purposes. Gustavsson will spend two weeks with the Marlies, and is expected to get the lion's share of work what with the team re-assigning goaltender Ben Scrivens to Reading of the ECHL. The move was not unexpected given Reimer's play since getting called up to the Leafs in January."

Leafs' Gustavsson likely odd goalie out

February 2

Toronto Sun

"While the Maple Leafs officially say they have plenty of room to carry three goaltenders, it's become increasingly obvious that Swedish netminder Jonas Gustavsson is the odd man out in Toronto. On Tuesday night against the Panthers, James Reimer took over the lanky Swede's usual duty as backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Gustavsson (6-13-2, 3.28 GAA, .890 save percentage) watched the game from the press box, and though the team still is trying to put a positive spin on things, it is likely the Leafs are going to rely more heavily on Reimer and probably ask Gustavsson to take a reconditioning stint with the Marlies after they return from the AHL all-star break on Saturday. Gustavsson said"

Leafs' three-goalie setup "not easy"

February 1

Toronto Sun

"Maple Leafs assistant coach Tim Hunter handled the media duties on Monday as the club returned to practice, filling in for Ron Wilson, who was at the AHL all-star game. And when it comes to the goaltending situation, Hunter said there "is no set plan right now." The expectation is that veteran Jean-Sebastien Giguere will start on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers at the Air Canada Centre, even though rookie James Reimer has been mostly excellent in eight recent appearances. Sending Jonas Gustavsson to the Marlies might happen, but the Baby Leafs don't play again until Saturday, so demoting the Swede, who has not played since Jan. 19, now would not make much sense. The three-goalie"

Monster willing to spend time with Marlies

January 27

Toronto Sun

"Jonas Gustavsson joked he won't stray very far from Toronto during the NHL all-star break because his girlfriend is a nervous flyer. But the Maple Leafs goaltender - No. 3 on the depth charting if we're ranking - appears likely to take a walk to the Ricoh Coliseum next week. The Swede does not embrace the idea of joining the AHL Marlies on a conditioning stint, for which his permission is required. He sees himself a bona fide NHL goalie with 65 games under his belt - and seven wins in a row last March that tied a club rookie record. But he said Wednesday at the final pre-break practice that he'd go along with the idea, in order to spare the Leafs the risk of putting him on waivers to"

Gustavsson didn't help future prospects

January 20

Toronto Sun

"It took just under 13 and a half minutes on Wednesday night for Jonas Gustavsson's first start in almost two weeks to come to a screeching stop. Yes, Gustavsson did play longer than that. In fact, after being yanked by Leafs coach Ron Wilson for allowing three first-period goals, the Swedish netminder came out for the second and finished the game. But you could see his confidence was already gone after being pulled for Jean-Sebastien Giguere, and a weak Marian Gaborik goal through his legs from an impossible angle in the second period only underscored that fact. It was supposed to be a critical start for Gustavsson, one in which he could put to rest calls for the Marlies' James Reimer to"

Gustavsson, Leafs embarrassed by Rangers, 7-0

January 20

Toronto Star

"It was a "Monster" of a night for Marian Gaborik. As big nights go for NHL snipers, Gaborik had the biggest of the season so far, pouring in four goals and leaving Jonas (The Monster) Gustavsson and the Maple Leafs in tatters after a 7-0 win at Madison Square Garden. Gaborik became the first NHL player to score four goals in a game this season. To make matters worse from a Leafs standpoint — and matters couldn't get much worse — Gaborik entered the night mired in an eight-game scoring slump, and was being called out in the local press to boost his goal-starved team and live up to his $7.5 million contract. Gustavsson could have used a confidence-boosting game in the Big Apple. He was"

Leafs' Monster set to raid New York

January 19

Toronto Sun

"Jonas Gustavsson did not sound like a goalie under pressure on Tuesday as the Maple Leafs headed to New York City. He is getting the start against the Rangers, which will be closely monitored after James Reimer played well enough to be considered a full-time NHLer and Jean-Sebastien Giguere came back from a month off with a groin injury and did well in a 2-1 shootout loss. Gustavsson needs to remind the Leafs and the fans what he can do - and that he has made some progress during the second season of his maturation process. "It's not frustrating," he insisted of sitting the past five games. "If someone had told me at the start of this year that I was going to have played half the games in"

Leafs' Gustavsson back in goal against Rangers

January 19

Toronto Star

"In a world of tweets and blogs in which hockey analysis is as unforgiving as it is instant, Jonas Gustavsson understands there is a contingent of goaltending experts out there who believe his status with the Maple Leafs has eroded over the last few weeks. Spotty starts, a stint on the bench while call-up James Reimer worked some magic, and the return to health and No. 1 status of Jean-Sebastien Giguere all add up to a general sense that Gustavsson has hit a plateau and can no longer be looked upon as the automatic heir to Toronto's goaltending future. The peaks and valleys inherent in his chosen profession, however, don't rattle Gustavsson. For him, the self-assessment is more like one of"

Wilson changing Leaf goalies again

January 17

Toronto Sun

"This is one occasion when Ron Wilson will let sentiment get in the way of his lineup plans. The Maple Leafs' coach will grant veteran goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere's request to play at home Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks, the team that traded him to Toronto almost a year ago. That will mean Jonas Gustavsson starts Wednesday in New York against the Rangers, his first game since the team's near meltdown against the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 6. "That (Anaheim game) is something I've looked forward to all year," Giguere said Monday at the MasterCard Centre. Giguere earned every right to play in Wednesday after making 32 stops in a 2-1 shootout loss to Calgary on Saturday, his first game back"

Gustavsson the odd goalie out for Leafs

January 14

Toronto Star

"There was a Monster spotted in the press box Thursday night. Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson was a healthy scratch for the first time in his short NHL career. That's what happens when a hotshot rookie goes on a winning streak and your mainstay veteran is declared healthy again. "I saw it coming," said Gustavsson. "(James) Reimer is playing good and (J-S) Giguere is coming back. We're going to be three goalies on the team. You can't have two goalies on the bench. "There's not too much you can do about it. One of us has to be in the press box. I can't feel sorry for myself or be down. It's part of the game. You just have to battle through it and stay positive and go from there. Anything"

Forget the score, Gustavsson holds the fort

January 7

Toronto Star

columnist Rosie DiManno

"Jonas Gustavsson had seen the whites of this sniper's eyes already — and blinked. It was Matt D'Agostini who'd flown like the wind on a breakaway that had begun back in the St. Louis zone, off a huge rebound by netminder Ty Conklin that came all the way out to centre ice. From there in, it was D'Agostini versus Gustavsson, and the Blues-man won that duel on a deke and a backhand, tying a game that Toronto had led 5-2 in the third period, sending the match into OT and then the dreaded shootout. But in the rematch, when it came time for D'Agostini to take his best shot — the game-within-a-game tied at 2-2 — Gustavsson didn't give an inch, calmly waiting out the challenge and blocking a"

Maple Leafs are a Bermuda Triangle for goalies

January 4

Toronto Star

columnist Rosie DiManno

""Guy wins a game and we're ready to build a statue for him." We are? News to me, coach. That would be the don't-ask-don't tell secret that young James Reimer had drawn the starting assignment against Boston Monday night — a decision that was imparted to the netminder at practice Sunday but kept on the QT by Ron Wilson, who didn't want the molesting media in his rookie's face about it."

Leafs goalie slot undecided

January 3

Toronto Sun

"Coach Ron Wilson can't say he doesn't have a goaltending controversy brewing, but for the time being, it's between two stoppers and not three. While Saturday's winner James Reimer was on the ice with both Jonas Gustavsson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere on Sunday at the MasterCard Centre, the coach said Giguere was still a few days from returning after a groin injury and won't play Monday against Boston. It's going to be Thursday versus St. Louis at the earliest. As for who does start the Boston game, it's an interesting call. The safest decision might be to come back with Gustavsson, who didn't play poorly in his last start against Columbus. Reimer, who wasn't taxed too heavily by Ottawa, is"

Monster gets mixed review

December 31

Toronto Sun

"While Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson's assessment of goalie Jonas Gustavsson's play prior to Thursday night's tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets was less than glowing, the coach did say the team hasn't always been there for the Big Swede. "He's been up and down," Wilson said of the Monster's play. "He's had some really good games. The problem is, we haven't won with him in the net when he's played great. We've lost a lot of games 2-1, 2-0 and he's been outstanding. I think he's gotten a little frustrated. He had a very good game in New Jersey. The last game (against Carolina), he was average, at best." Gustavsson stopped 29 of 32 shots in a 3-2 loss on Thursday night and saw his record"

The Monster has gone missing

December 29

Toronto Sun

"It is more than a season into the great Jonas Gustavsson experiment and it's difficult to determine whether he can ever live up to his nickname. Some nights, he looks the part of Monster and too many nights he doesn't. Some nights, he looks like he's ready to take the next step on the way to becoming a great NHL goaltender, and too often it is one slide forward, two slides back and more confusing business for the forever struggling Maple Leafs. "It's tough right now to judge (him) on wins and losses, because sometimes Jonas has played relatively good and he doesn't win," said Maple Leafs goalie guru, Francois Allaire. "We have to keep working, working, working. To make sure one day we can"