Joseph Woll will have another opportunity to establish himself in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ crease tonight against the Washington Capitals, who are on the rise. Woll is keen to get back after a difficult performance against the New Jersey Devils, where he only faced 24 shots and let up five goals.
Even with such challenging numbers, Woll’s potential is evident in his typical play in the net. He’ll want to make an impression tonight against a hot-handful of a Capitals club.
Ilya Samsonov, another goalie, has been convalescing from a calf contusion in the background. He declared himself fit to play yesterday. A healthy boost to the Maple Leafs’ goaltender depth is provided by that potential. Samsonov’s return should bring stability and competition to the net with his 19-6-7 season record.
The Maple Leafs need to make some decisions about their goaltender situation as the regular season comes to a close. Martin Jones is still available to the team as a dependable backup who can fill in when necessary. Samsonov’s comeback creates an interesting dynamic that begs the question of who will start going into the postseason. But more crucial than who might start is that all three goalies are primed for postseason play.
I’m aware that many Toronto Maple Leafs fans are not thrilled with the current trio of goalies. One fan recently went too far, suggesting that Samsonov is a disaster and always will be. It’s puzzling to me where fans get the authority to make such bold statements, which reflects the lack of confidence some Maple Leafs supporters have in their players.
However, the Stanley Cup playoffs have a history of surprising goalie performances. For example, Anton Khudobin’s exceptional performance with the Dallas Stars in the 2020 playoffs after starter Ben Bishop got injured. This serves as a reminder that anything can happen in the postseason. The Maple Leafs’ goalie situation may hold more promise than fans think.
In this postseason, there will be another goalie who rises to the occasion for their team, and it could even be someone from the Maple Leafs’ roster. While uncertainty is inevitable, I wouldn’t be shocked if it turns out to be the Maple Leafs goalie making the unexpected standout performance.
