The Toronto Maple Leafs are already a handful of games into the regular season. So far, they’ve looked good with depth scoring being the main discussion point as Auston Matthews was held pointless through the team’s first three games of the season.
One of the other focal points early on this season has been the team’s goaltending. Joseph Woll came out of camp nursing a lower-body injury while Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby have manned the team’s net early on.
While this season was supposed to be one where Woll took the reins, the injury off the hop has allowed for the Maple Leafs to see what they have organizationally. When he does return, however, aside from setting Woll and Stolarz as the set duo once again, the Maple Leafs could ponder other options as they look ahead to future promotions of Hildeby and — eventually — Artur Akhtyamov.
Maple Leafs Could Stick With the Woll, Stolarz Duo
Of course the easiest option would be to stick to the duo. After all, Woll’s numbers — albeit in a small sample size — are solid. Through 36 career games, he holds a 21-13-1 record with a .912 save percentage (SV%) and 2.76 goals against average (GAA). His playoff numbers are even better.
Stolarz, also with a smaller sample size of sorts, has similar numbers in 111 career regular season games. He has a record of 86-45-32 with a 2.66 GAA and .916 SV% and a Stanley Cup to add to that experience.
So all things considered, the Maple Leafs wouldn’t be in bad shape if they were to stick to this pairing. That said, some outside of the organization have questioned what kind of confidence and trust Woll comes back with following the injury and how his game will rebound. While I don’t think team trust will be an issue, his overall confidence knowing what’s behind him on the team’s depth chart could rattle him a bit.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Trust in Joseph Woll Wrongfully Called into Question
So what are the other options for the team?
Maple Leafs Could Move on From Joseph Woll
I know it sounds crazy. Usually I’m not one for moving on from younger players organizationally until proven otherwise. Heck, I’m still on the Timothy Liljegren train (a story for another time). But knowing what the Maple Leafs have organizationally could push Woll out of two — especially if the Maple Leafs need some wiggle room with their cap.
Woll is currently under $1 million, but his new deal kicks in starting next season and sees him climb to right around $3.66 million per season. A good extension for the team based on his numbers, but they also have Stolarz at $2.5 million next season.
So, what if the Maple Leafs moved Woll and held onto Stolarz and Hildeby as their duo? Two towering goalies who’ve both shown promise — albeit at different levels through their careers.
Hildeby will be an RFA after this season and the Maple Leafs could still get him at a relatively cheap price considering his inexperience at the NHL level. That would still leave the Maple Leafs with Matt Murray in the American Hockey League (AHL) and Artur Akhtyamov also playing with the Toronto Marlies.
That said it would leave the the big club with slightly less NHL experience than what they already have — aside from Murray who’s waiting another go down with the Marlies.
Moving Woll Could Fetch More Depth
The other thing to consider is that trade Woll would fetch some more depth for the Maple Leafs, whether it’s up front on the big club, prospect depth for the future or draft depth — something the Maple Leafs have lacked in recent seasons.
Woll is still only 26 years old and in goalie years that means he’s likely just coming into his prime. He’s signed until 2028 which gives teams a young goalie under contract and his numbers play into his favour, for now. The one question that lingers around him is his overall health as he’s faced a few injuries early in his career.
Outside of that, the Maple Leafs could land some commodities for cheap and it frees up some space in the goalie department organizationally. On top of that, you don’t have the lingering question of whether or not he’ll get back to form following his most recent injury.
But, what does that leave the Maple Leafs with?
Maple Leafs in Good Hands With Stolarz, Hildeby
Realistically, it doesn’t change the Maple Leafs goaltending situation that much outside of losing 35 games of NHL experience in moving to Hildeby as the back-up to Stolarz.
As mentioned, Stolarz brings some good numbers to the net and he’s coming off one of his best season’s statistically with a 2.03 GAA and .925 SV% on route to a 16-7-2 record with the Florida Panthers. Oh, and he was a part of that Stanley Cup winning team.
With Hildeby, they’ve got a goaltender who is six-foot-seven and fills the net well. He’s just 23 years old and, while it’s been only one regular season start, he’s shown poise in his opportunities both overseas and with the Maple Leafs in preseason.
He’s not a goalie that moves around the crease all that much and he has a smooth post-to-post movement that allows him to make big saves without throwing his body out of whack.
Against the New Jersey Devils this season, Hildeby gave up just two goals on 23 shots while posting a .913 SV% and 2.02 GAA in his first regular season NHL win.
Sure, it’d be crazy to put all their faith into a career back-up and a rookie if they were trade Woll, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. In fact, we’ve seen crazier things happen around this team and league that making Woll expendable doesn’t seem that crazy after all.