Nick Rose is in, Matt Roik’s out as Toronto Rock goaltending woes continue

What was once a story about reaffirmation, and resurrection, has now crashed to earth, as the Toronto Rock have abandoned their goaltending plans mid-season and cast aside starter Matt Roik. On Monday, Roik was released, and the Rock traded a 2014 first-round draft pick to Calgary for Nick Rose, who becomes the presumptive starter for a team in freefall.

Roik's fate was sealed after the Rock gave up 7 goals on 11 shots and turned a 6-2 lead into a 21-14 loss at home against arch-rival Buffalo on Friday. It didn't help that the collapse was witnessed by over 12,000 fans - Toronto's largest crowd of the season. After starting out the season as an all-star, Roik's numbers have fallen; he was 17th in goals-against and 13th in save percentage after Friday night.

Roik, you'll remember, has been well-covered in Eh Game, having the thankless job of taking over in the rock goal for Bob Watson, one of the best goalies of all time. Watson's shadow loomed large this season; in the rock's season opener Watson was on the floor to raise the 2011 championship banner to the rafters, and on February 24 the Rock had another ceremony to retire Watson's number. As well, when the Rock held a "Dads' Trip" to Philadelphia to let players' fathers watch their kids play, Watson came along too. They say the best way to take off a band-aid is with a quick clean rip; Watson's departure from Toronto has been anything but quick, or clean.

So now into the fray comes Rose, an affable, young, somewhat unproven goalie who has one strong point in his favour: he's a graduate of the Orangeville Northmen junior program, as are eight other members of the current Rock roster, along with Rock general manager Terry Sanderson. That's not to say the trade is founded on homerism; Sanderson builds winning teams, as does Orangeville, and he's always always succeeded using players he knows. Rose is only 24, and won two Minto Cups with Orangeville. On the other hand, he's only played 32 minutes all season, and has never been a #1 starter at the pro or senior level. He'll be asked to step into a charged environment where the stakes are high. The Rock just lost four games in a 5-game homestand, and play five of their last six on the road. They're in last place in the east, and could end up behind the Edmonton Rush - who they face twice - and end up as the only team to miss the playoffs this season.

It's a gamble necessitated as much by an artificial construct - Tuesday's trading deadline - as a need to make a change in goal. All season there were calls for Sanderson to deal for Anthony Cosmo, a holdout who ended up going to buffalo. On Friday against Toronto, Cosmo was pulled before the first half was over, after allowing 10 goals on 25 shots. Cosmo's 16th in goals-against and 18th in save percentage, and it looks like he's lost the starter's job in Buffalo already.

In that respect, the two first-round picks Buffalo gave up to get Cosmo sting more than the solitary pick it cost to get Rose. But the gamble for Toronto is much higher, as an unproven youngster steps into a shadow that's already claimed one starter. The Rock can't afford for it to claim another.