After we argued that Joseph Woll has earned the right to compete for the number one goaltending position with the Toronto Maple Leafs, several readers responded that we were delusional, crazy, and had no clue about the game. We were told Woll is a terrible goalie and not good enough to be in the NHL.
Related: Joseph Woll is Maple Leafs’ Clear Choice for No. 1 Goaltender
Two of the points brought up were his lack of experience and injury history. We acknowledge both of those points. But we also note the stellar numbers that Woll put up when he played.
Here’s a look.
Woll’s Regular Season Numbers
| OT/SS Losses | Starts | Wins | Losses | OT/SS Lossed | Win % | Save % | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 0.618% | 0.912% | 2.76 |
Woll’s 0.618% winning percentage translates to a 101-point season, typically enough to secure a playoff spot. The Maple Leafs finished third in the Atlantic Division, fifth in the Eastern Conference, and tenth in the NHL with 102 points in 2023-24.
According to QuantHockey, if we compare Woll’s numbers to other goalies this season, Woll’s .912% save percentage would have tied him with the New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin. His 2.76 goals-against average ranks right between Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars (2.72) and former Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom (2.78). That is some pretty solid company.
Here are Woll’s playoff numbers over the last two seasons.
| Games Played | Starts | Wins | Losses | OT/SS Losses | Win % | Save % | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | NA | 0.667% | 0.933% | 1.78 |
For the past two seasons, Woll has had a winning record in the postseason. In the past eight seasons, no other Maple Leafs goaltender has had a winning record in the playoffs. His save percentage is .21% higher, and his goals-against average drops to 1.79 GAA.
Related: Will Ilya Samsonov Be a Maple Leaf Next Season?
In the 2024 Playoffs, Woll entered the Maple Leafs’ first-round series against the Boston Bruins with his team down three games to one. He played 140 minutes over two games and allowed just two goals. He stopped 54 of the 56 shots for a .964% save percentage and a measly 0.86 goals-against Average. Woll reportedly suffered a back injury late in Game 6 and could not start Game 7. The Maple Leafs lost game Game 7 2-1 in overtime with Ilya Samsonov in goal.
What to Make of Woll’s Injury History
As noted, the two points working against Woll are his lack of experience and injury history. He has only played in 43 NHL games over the past three seasons. In March 2021, he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him off the ice for over seven months. He returned to play on Nov. 20 but suffered an ankle injury on Dec. 7, 2023, and did not play again until Feb. 21, 2024.
He sustained that back injury to end his 2024 Playoff run. There are no reports of how serious that injury was or how much time he will miss. According to CapFriendly, Woll suffered two other minor injuries in the past three years; one kept him out for two weeks, and the other cost him a week.
Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving addressed Woll’s injury problems at the end of the season. He acknowledged that Woll’s frequent injuries are a significant concern that needs to be thoroughly investigated. He also suggested that it might be a matter of bad luck or underlying issues with his training or off-ice routine that need to be addressed.
Treliving prefaced those statements with, “I’ve got faith in Joe.”
That vague statement could mean anything. It is hard to imagine that Treliving hasn’t liked what he has seen from Woll. After all, Woll stole the starter’s job twice this past season: once just before his ankle injury in the regular season and again in the playoffs.
Woll Remains the Team’s Best Choice to Compete for the Starting Job
Woll has at least earned the right to compete for the starter’s job next season. We’re not saying he should be crowned the starter, but he should be in the middle of the action. The solid numbers he has put up in both the regular season and the postseason have placed him in the picture and the battle.
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There is one last thing to consider. Unless the team plans to move one of the core four forwards, earning $45.7 million next season, they will again struggle to fill their roster and remain under the $88 million cap. We believe the wisest choice is to save salary cap space by signing a competent goalie to either complement Woll as a 1A and 1B or potentially fight for the number one spot.
It is more logical to spend fewer dollars on a tandem than big bucks on an established number one who bumps Woll to the background. The saved cap space would go a long way toward filling other needed roster spots, such as defence. The truth is that we have no idea what the Maple Leafs’ plans are. We will all have to stay tuned, especially as the offseason action ramps up next week with the draft and the beginning of free agency.
[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]
