Joseph Woll was one of three goaltenders used by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24 as he split the duties with Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones throughout the year. Woll led the trio with a .907 save percentage and heading into this season, both Samsonov and Jones have been shown the door as Woll welcomes Anthony Stolarz to Toronto.
Woll, 26, is a former 2016 third-round pick of the Maple Leafs. He was the fifth goaltender taken in his draft, behind the likes of Carter Hart, Tyler Parsons, Filip Gustavsson and Evan Fitzpatrick. Despite being selected by the Oshawa Generals in the 2014 OHL draft, Woll committed to Boston College. He’d go on to tally a 50-45-8 record with BC, including five shutouts and was nominated for the 2019 Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey. Woll would sign his entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs in March of 2019, following his junior and final season of college hockey.
Woll’s professional journey started with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies during the 2019-20 season, going 11-16-3 in 32 appearances. The following season he’d battle some injury troubles, dressing in just 15 AHL games for the 2020-21 season. Despite some lackluster numbers, the Maple Leafs never gave up hope on their young netminder. Woll would make his NHL debut the following season, securing a 5-4 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov.21, 2021.
Since his debut three years ago, Woll has dealt with an injured shoulder, ankle and most recently throwing out his back, which took him out of the starter’s crease for the pivotal Game 7 against the Boston Bruins in the first-round of the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs. GM Brad Treliving wasn’t shy speaking on Woll’s injury troubles this summer, stating the team needed to ‘dig in’ to Woll’s injury troubles and figure out how much is bad luck and how much is related to his off-season training routine.
Regardless of the injury concerns, Treliving and the Maple Leafs rewarded Woll after his fine season in ’23-24 with a three-year, $3.67 million AAV extension. It wasn’t the only multi-year contract Treliving handed out to a goaltender as with Samsonov and Jones in the rear view, Treliving signed free-agent and Stanley Cup winner Stolarz. Woll’s tandem partner is set, now it’s time for the fun part – getting to work and pushing each other for starts.
With Craig Berube now behind the Maple Leafs bench, the slate has been wiped clean and regardless of what went on Woll’s previous five seasons with the organization, his one job now is to impress Berube and win the crease. Neither Leafs’ netminder has a long history of constantly starting so there’s certainly a very good chance Toronto takes on a tandem approach and rides the hot hand throughout the regular season and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Expectation – Stay healthy, develop and produce
Woll played a career-high 25 NHL games last season and the expectation this year will be to start anywhere from 35-45 games. If things go really well, he could sniff 50. His save percentage should finish the season between .915-.925.
His career numbers are impressive with a 21-13-1 record, including one shutout, a 2.76 GAA and .912 Sv.%. Treliving, Berube and company want to see this type of production continue.
Woll ranked 22nd in the NHL last season with 7.2 goals save beyond expected, meanwhile Stolarz ranked third with 20.1 in his 27 starts with the Florida Panthers. Nobody said it was going to be easy to become the 1-A goaltender in Toronto. These two are going to be a dose of healthy competition all year long and this type of internal motivation will do nothing but help Woll develop into a better goaltender.
At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs do have Matt Murray as a third option, but if Woll and Stolarz come out of camp healthy, Murray becomes a waiver candidate and with his decorated resume is likely claimed.
The Goal – Win Berube’s trust for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
While the regular season could be a tandem set up, that rarely works during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so Woll should be aiming to come out on top as the Game 1 starter. Berube’s won a Cup, he knows what it’s like to ride a 1-A goaltender in Jordan Binnington to the top.
Woll has the game in him. He’s athletic, he reads the play extremely well and he can keep himself composed. One of his best attributes is his ability to make a key save from the high-danger area of the ice, especially late in games. Of all NHL goalies with more than 25 appearances last season, Woll ranked 5th with an .802 Sv.% in high-danger unblocked shots. Meaning he’s up to the task when the stakes are raised with a prime scoring chance and look for Woll to continue baring down throughout key spots in games.
Woll has a prime opportunity to carve himself into not only the 1-A Maple Leafs’ starter for 24-25, but also be handed the keys to the crease for many years to come. At 26 years old, he’s entering the prime of his career and Toronto’s window to win is wide open. With a motivated and healthy Woll between the pipes, anything is possible for the Maple Leafs.
