Mar 26, 2016; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (31) makes a save on a penalty shot from Ottawa Senators left wing Mike Hoffman (68) in the third period at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Ducks defeated the Senators 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

An area that needs improvement for the Toronto Maple Leafs is their penalty kill, and your best penalty killer needs to be the goaltender.

The Toronto Maple Leafs newest starting goaltender has his work cut out for him with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he’s used to that playing with the Anaheim Ducks. The Leafs were third, just behind Anaheim (2nd), in 4v5 TOI in 2015-2016 with 447 minutes shorthanded – and you can expect that number to increase with Matt Martin in the lineup.

For Anaheim, Andersen out-performed Gibson in 5v5 save percentage (92.96-92.16), but when it came to 4v5 it was Gibson coming out on top with the better save percentage. Much better. In fact, Andersen’s save percentage came in below Jonathan Bernier’s save percentage in shorthand situations. Shocking, I know. But, wait. There’s more to the story.

*numbers via Corsica.Hockey

For whatever reason, the Anaheim Ducks allowed shooters to get much closer – or in a higher danger shooting zone – on Frederik Andersen (246 TOI) than they did on John Gibson (237 TOI). So, Andersen was being more hung out to dry, so to speak, by the Ducks in both 5v5 and 4v5.

A massive eight foot(ish) difference in average shot distance at 4v5 from Gibson to Andersen. The spread is closer (four-ish) with Bernier (210 TOI), but so is the spread of save percentage.

Andersen was being forced to handle significantly more dangerous shots than both Gibson and Bernier, with Bernier being the more relevant comparative here. It’s not surprising that his numbers are lower, and it’s certainly no cause for concern.

On both accounts, average shot distance and save percentage, as one went up, so did the other. Or, as the shot danger reduced, the save percentage went up.

Teams need their goaltender to be their best penalty killer, but teams also need to keep their goaltenders average shot distance against further out than 13 feet. That task is on the Toronto Maple Leafs four penalty killers.

Andersen’s 13.91 average shot distance at 4v5 was the closest average shot distance of all 31 goaltenders who played at least 200 minutes shorthanded – a range of 202-397. He faced the closest shots, on average, in the entire NHL for the penalty kill – and he still managed to finish 10th in shorthanded save percentage.

It’s an interesting coincidence that, with goalies of at least 200 TOI shorthanded, the Anaheim Ducks has the goalie with the highest average shot distance and the goalie with the lowest average shot distance.

The Toronto Maple Leafs need a better penalty kill and if they can keep shots an average distance away similar to Jonathan Bernier’s 17.84 feet, and not Andersen’s 13.91 feet in Anaheim, when they’re down a man I think that Frederik Andersen just might bring up their penalty kill percentage all on his own.