Forget Sergei Bobrovsky, there's a younger and smarter option available

It's been rumoured that Sergei Bobrovsky may be headed to Toronto but instead of him, they should look to a younger and cheaper alternative who needs a fresh start.

There's been rumblings around the league that Sergei Bobrovsky would be seeking a huge deal in free agency and that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a team in the mix. While it would be somewhat incredible to steal the Panthers' goaltender after he was crucial for them in the playoffs, there are some caveats we need to look at.

First, the fact that Bobrovsky is 38-years old should make some pause, and the fact that his next deal could come with five or six years attached to the contract that would put him in his mid-40s by the time everything is said and done - then on top of that, a fairly big AAV and injury concerns.

You really wouldn't expect John Chayka to go out and get him especially knowing that there's too many red flags despite his resume, and his money would be better off spent elsewhere. Though, if the Maple Leafs were still intent on getting a veteran goalie who's won a Stanley Cup then they don't need to look very hard.

Jordan Binnington is a younger, cheaper alternative to Sergei Bobrovsky especially on a seven-year deal

Now I know it seems ludicrous to acquire another goaltender after just trading away Joseph Woll and getting Samuel Ersson back, but if they're targeting Bobrovsky then odds are they have a game plan in mind to shed a goalie or two.

If that's the case, then going after Binnington would be a smarter deal at least in the long run. While Bobrovsky could be capable of bringing you to the Finals, you're banking on him doing that at what? 40? 41?

We don't know when Toronto is going to be truly competitive again, and while they are trying their best - it's the results that matter.

Binnington is a player who has that playoff experience, won a Cup, has had very solid career numbers despite some setbacks and honestly he adds a bit of attitude that the Maple Leafs crease needs.

For his career, he holds a 186-136-43 record with 19 shutouts, a 2.83 GAA and a .903 SV% while winning a Cup with the Blues after a stunning rookie season where he went 24-5-1 with a 1.89 GAA and finishing second in Calder votes.

He only makes $6-million for this season and is a free agent in 2027, so straight up there isn't a long term commitment. But even if they do decide to run with him going forward and even if it was a comparable contract to what Bobrovsky would get; he's still only going to be 38 which is what Bobrovsky's age is now.

If you're going to spend that level of money then you may as well go for someone younger but then again, Binnington doesn't exactly solve all their problems.

Toronto's goalie logjam and Binnington's past history could cause a few wrinkles for John Chayka

Though it doesn't really fix the whole goaltender issue. If Binnington is acquired that means the Maple Leafs have him, Ersson, Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov. With the team pushing hard for the youth movement, we'd have to see someone head out.

It's hard to see Stolarz getting a lot of attention after his dismal season last year and the fact he's so injury prone. Hildeby and Akhtyamov are expected to be a big part of the future, and Toronto can't risk losing Hildeby to waivers, plus Ersson is an RFA and we don't know where his future lies.

So right there is an issue for Chayka but so too is Binnington's behavioural issues when it comes to on-ice antics. He's certainly one to add some tenacity to the crease but he also takes it too far at times and manages to get himself in trouble - like when he went after Ryan Hartman and earned a two-game suspension.

He's also known to throw temper tantrums when he has a bad outing and the last thing the Maple Leafs need right now is someone to add friction into a locker room that has been trying to rid themselves of that type of environment.

There's a line between being aggressive and sticking up for yourself and having a full blown meltdown when you can't stop the puck. Everyone has bad games, and Binnington is no different, but his rage seems to come out more than not.

While there is no denying that Binnington would be an improvement in the crease over Woll and the others, and especially Bobrovsky at his supposed rate, there's a lot of other issues fans could point to that may make Toronto think twice about acquiring him.

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