3 Thoughts on the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending situation
The Toronto Maple Leafs head into training camp with a question mark hanging over their goaltending situation. While the club took steps to address the situation during the summer, it remains unclear whether it will be enough to solve the team's ongoing goaltending issues.
The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending situation is a major question mark heading into training camp this fall.
The offseason focus of the Toronto Maple Leafs was predominantly on improving a middling blueline. On the whole, it seems GM Brad Treliving addressed the most pressing concerns on defence. However, another major area for concern was the goaltending.
Fans and analysts expected Toronto to make a big splash, going after a marquee netminder. For the most part, Leafs management tried their best to do so. Reportedly, the Leafs tried for and missed out on big names like Jacob Markstrom and Jusse Saros.
As such, the need to resort to a Plan B situation has sparked questions regarding the Leafs current goaltending situation. So, here are three thoughts on the matter heading into training camp this fall.
3 Thoughts on the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending situation
Item #1: It’s Joseph Woll’s crease to lose
Heading into the offseason, one of the biggest question marks was Joseph Woll. Would the Leafs keep him or move on from him?
The Toronto Maple Leafs did the right thing by extending him this offseason. The club extended Woll for three years at $3.67 million per season. Woll has been the best goaltending prospect the Leafs have produced since Tuukka Rask, making it worthwhile committing to him as the potential starter.
Now, this extension would have never happened had the Leafs landed a top goalie like Markstrom or Ullmark. But business is business, and the Leafs were unable to get a deal done. In my estimation, time will prove the Leafs made the right move.
That being said, it seems that Woll will get the chance to be the starter this upcoming season. If Woll has a good camp and can prove he’s ready for a full-time role, he’ll get the nod on opening night.
But there’s a catch, here. Woll needs to stay healthy in order to become anointed as the true number-one guy in Toronto. We’ve seen what he can do, especially in last year’s playoffs against Boston. However, he must stay healthy for most of the season.
If health does become an issue, the club may lose faith in Woll. That situation could push him into more of a backup role, allowing newly acquired Anthony Stolarz to get a long look as the number-one netminder.
Overall, Stolarz needs to have a brilliant camp while Woll flounders for the Leafs to shove Woll to the bottom of the pile. That scenario seems highly unlikely, meaning that Woll should get the best chance of his career to prove he belongs in the NHL.
Item #2: Anthony Stolarz is no amateur
When the Leafs signed Stolarz, the general feeling was one of disappointment. It was a sign that the club had capitulated and settled for a lesser-known netminder to support Woll.
Personally, I would have preferred a more experienced goaltender to back up Woll, but the more I thought about the situation, the more sense Stolarz made.
Stolarz isn’t exactly young. He’s 30, and surprisingly, has played in parts of eight seasons. Despite his seemingly journeyman status, he’s only played in 108 NHL games. Yet, he has a career 2.69 GAA and a .915 SV%. That’s not bad for a guy that hasn’t seen much action.
So, it seems the plan is for Stolarz to be the safety net in case Woll gets hurt or falters. In fact, Stolarz opens the door to two potential scenarios.
First, Craig Berube decides to go with a 1A-1B tandem. That might be the likeliest situation while the club determines who could be the starter. If no one runs away with the job, the tandem could remain even heading into the playoffs.
Second, Berube chooses to go with the hot hand. In other words, Berube will go with whoever is playing well. That could mean one goalie getting three or four starts in a row before the other sees any game action. That scenario could work, especially as the season drags on.
Ultimately, Stolarz seems destined to be the backup. Unless he has an outstanding training camp and plays lights out at the start of the season, he’ll sit more often than not. However, Stolarz must be sharp because there’s no telling when Berube might call his number.
Item #3: Matt Murray is the Toronto Maple Leafs insurance policy
Perhaps the most surprising move was the Leafs signing Murray this offseason. While he got an $800K deal, the most surprising part was the club bringing him back at all. Murray was seemingly done last season after hip surgery.
Nevertheless, it seems Murray is healthy and poised to make a comeback. If he truly is healthy and can play to a level similar to the one he showed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, there’s a chance Murray could see some action this upcoming season.
But more than actually getting into game action, Murray is the Leafs insurance policy. Assuming that either Woll or Stolarz go down, Murray would be next in line. While Murray would predominantly serve as a backup, is more comforting to have Murray in the hole rather than an inexperienced goalie like Keith Petruzzelli.
In my opinion, I would have preferred Jones over Murray as a third-string option. But perhaps Treliving and Leafs management are confident that Murray is fully healthy and can bounce back into a solid third-string role.
Perhaps there’s much more to Murray than we know about at this point. As such, the Leafs feel he’s worth keeping as an insurance policy. We may even see Murray get into some game action as the season wears on. At some point, the club may feel that giving both Woll and Stolarz a break could work. So, getting Murray into a game here or there could be a possibility.
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Overall, I can’t say that I’m entirely thrilled about the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending situation. But I must admit this I supposed this current situation was the likeliest outcome heading into the offseason. Let’s hope that Woll and Stolarz reach the next level, helping the Leafs shake off the playoff demons that have haunted the club for the better part of a decade.