The Toronto Maple Leafs have two games remaining in their 2024-25 season schedule. Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll will likely get one more start each, and rightfully so after the incredible performances each of them showed this past weekend. However, when it comes to which goaltender should be the Leafs starter for game one of the 2025 playoffs, my pick is Stolarz.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have received good goaltending from both goaltenders this season. Stolarz has a 20-8-3 with three shutouts in 33 games played. He has a 2.21 GAA and a .923 SV% as of Monday morning. Woll has a 26-14-1 record with one shutout in 41 games played. His stats (2.72 GAA, .909 SV%) are slightly below Stolarz's, but that could be attributed to playing more games than Stolarz. However, it is clear to me that whenever Stolarz is in the net, the Leafs players seem to be more confident.
Having confidence in your goaltender can go a long way in helping a team win games. Now, I'm sure the Leafs feel confident when Woll is in the net too, but for some reason, the players always seem like they have an extra boost of confidence with Stolarz being their goaltender in the net. When it comes to a good start in the playoffs, you want your team to be confident in their goaltender. I think Stolarz gives the Leafs the best chance at winning game one and ultimately the first-round series.
The Leafs need one more point to secure first place in the Atlantic Division. Doing so will ensure a first-round matchup against the Ottawa Senators. The Battle of Ontario will add a new playoff chapter for these provincial and divisional rivals. It will be the first time the Leafs and Senators play each other in a playoff series since 2004.
Toronto Maple Leafs looking to renew playoff rivalry with Ottawa Senators
The Leafs will be hoping that the old saying "history repeats itself" is true, should they happen to play the Senators in the first round. These two teams have met four times in the playoffs, and the Leafs have won every series. History repeating itself would benefit the Leafs, at least for one round. However, the Leafs must win more than one round to prove themselves as a Stanley Cup contender. If they don't win it all this season, they at least need to reach the Conference Finals. It would be the farthest they've gone with this core group of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares.
The Leafs playoff rivalry with the Senators began in 2000 in a first-round series the Leafs won in six games. That was followed by a first-round, four-game sweep of the Senators in 2001. The two teams would meet again in the 2002 Conference Semi-Finals, where it took the Leafs seven games to knock off the Senators. During the 2004 first round, the Leafs would win another game seven series against the Senators, and that would be the last time until now, 21 years later, for a whole new generation to take part in.
A first-round series against the Senators will be fun, but not necessarily easy for the Leafs. However, I think they'll have a better chance of winning the series if Stolarz is in the net. The fun will begin this coming weekend, so we won't have to wait long to find out if I'm right.
(All stats from hockey-reference.com)