The Toronto Maple Leafs have been fortunate to secure two wins with Joseph Woll in net. However, there is no need to rush the young netminder.
His brief time in the NHL this season has benefitted both him and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team won both games when Woll was in the net, giving him a career 2-0-0 record at the NHL level.
Regular backup goaltender Petr Mrazek is close to returning from injury and even though Toronto does not having any more back-to-back games until December 4th and 5th, Woll will possibly get one last game on the current road trip.
For now, he should make the most of his opportunity by hanging around the team and picking up as much knowledge as possible. Being around a guy like Jack Campbell for a few weeks should benefit a young goaltender like Woll.
Toronto Maple Leafs Should Use Patience With Joseph Woll
Although Woll has found success at the NHL level, he needs to show more dominance at the AHL level before being considered ready for a permanent NHL job. His numbers with the Toronto Marlies have not been great in his three seasons with the team.
In his first season at the AHL level, Woll finished with an 11-16-4 record with a .880 SV% and 3.75 GAA. During his sophomore season, Woll finished with a 7-7-0 record and a .892 SV% and 3.54 GAA. Slightly better numbers, but in only half the amount of games. (Stats from: Eliteprospects.com)
This season, Woll has played three games for the Marlies and currently has a 2-1-0 record with a .895 SV% and 3.38 GAA. When he returns to the Marlies, he will need to find a way to get his GAA down below 3.00 and hopefully finish the season with a winning record.
Once Woll can have a GAA below 3.00 and SV% above .900 for a decent amount of time, he should be considered NHL ready. He has all the right tools, but it is just a matter of everything coming together.
The Perfect Example For Joseph Woll Is Jack Campbell
Campbell knows all too well about needing the patience to find success. Before last season, Jack Campbell was never thought of as a number one goaltender. He was always just a backup with mediocre stats.
After being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars, Campbell spent many seasons in the AHL before becoming a permanent backup goaltender with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
It took him ten seasons to finally become a permanent goaltender in the NHL. So if anyone can teach Woll about patience and the importance of just sticking with it, Campbell can.
All of Campbell’s years of hard work are finally paying off, and hopefully, the same will happen for Woll soon. Woll is an RFA at the end of this season and will likely receive a two-year or three-year bridge deal.