After a spotty pre-season, it took Vesa Toskala only four periods to convince Buds' coach Ron Wilson it was time for "The Monster" (Jonas Gustavsson).

The trading for Toskala in the spring of 2007 by former Maple Leaf GM John Ferguson looks like a science experiment gone bad. Toronto management should have known better than to put their goaltending future in the hands of a netminder, who for four seasons played a part-time role, and did so while enjoying the benefit of playing behind one of the NHL's strongest defense corps in San Jose. Toskala sure wasn't going to have that luxury in TO.

It was immediately apparent to new GM Brian Burke that Toskala wasn't the answer. That is why he courted and eventually signed free agent Gustavsson to a contract this past summer. And that is why the Leafs must now turn to the Monster if they are to have any hope of attaining Burke's goal to make the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.

I feel a bit sorry for Toskala. He was cast in a role he was not capable of fullfilling. It now looks as if he will once again be an understudy, a job I believe he can succeed at. It's just too bad he's being paid like a front liner to do so.