Bernier, who turns 27 this week, made (US) $3.4 million last season, not his finest hour or the team’s.
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However, if Bernier manages to out-perform his contract over the next two seasons and has the leverage of unrestricted free agency looming after the 2016-17 season, he’ll have a shot at a pretty massive contract. The hesitance in the term on the Leafs’ part comes in the fact that Bernier hasn’t established the same body of work and pattern of reliability as those other goalies, but the hope for both parties is that Bernier will have done just that by the time this contract expires in 2017.
“I think that right now I have a total open mind, and certainly I know Mike has the same”, Lamoriello said.
Without the pressure of going into another contract year, the onus is still on Bernier even if the expectation isn’t making the playoffs.
Bernier was originally selected by Los Angeles with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft.
In 175 National Hockey League games with the Los Angeles Kings and Leafs, Bernier is 76-67-20 with a 2.63 GAA and. 916 save percentage. That the Leafs signed two years instead of the one with Bernier would make Reimer being here beyond this season all the more unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
At this stage of the offseason it’s unlikely that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be able to pull off a deal for captain Dion Phaneuf. If not, then the Maple Leafs goaltending will be another area that will need to be addressed.
General Manager Lou Lamoriello was active in the Bernier arbitration since being hired two weeks ago.
With such disparity between his first two seasons as a full-time starter, the 26-year-old nonetheless has fairly a bit to show.
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While it might not be an ideal situation for the Maple Leafs, it’s not the end of the world.
