Sheldon Keefe Makes Surprising Roster Decision Ahead of Tonight's Big Showdown

Just hours before their game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Toronto Maple Leafs were undecided on their starting goalie.

Both Martin Jones and Ilya Samsonov have had underwhelming performances recently. Despite Jones' contribution to ending a 4-game losing streak against the Calgary Flames, the team's confidence in either goalie seemed low.

Ilya Samsonov, who rejoined the Leafs on January 10th, has only started one game since then. This fact reflects the limited trust Head Coach Sheldon Keefe has in him. Despite Samsonov's continued efforts in practice, his trust level with Keefe did not appear to improve over the week.

Shortly before the game, Sheldon Keefe announced Martin Jones as the starting goalie against Thatcher Demko of the Canucks, as reported in the tweet.

Jones has conceded 14 goals in his last four starts, with only one win during this period. His save percentage only exceeded .900 once in these games. Being the third-choice goalkeeper, Jones faces criticism, but the decision to start him over Samsonov against a strong Canucks team is notable.

The Leafs' recent victory pushed them to third in the Atlantic Division. However, to avoid being relegated to the Wild Card race in April, they need to gain momentum and secure more victories.

As Read on Maple Leafs Daily - Sheldon Keefe makes a shocking roster decision mere hours before Saturday's clash with the Canucks