Brandon Carlo
Brandon Carlo is not a guy who will produce much in the way of offense, but he will log a ton of minutes, hit often, and block a ton of shots. His defense could make or break a game for the Leafs. I expect all those years of helping the Boston Bruins win playoff games will make Carlo a great addition to the Leafs. He makes the Leafs harder to play against.
Goaltenders
For any team, goaltending is the most important position. If the players are having a rough night and not scoring, it's up to the goaltender to keep their team in the game and give them a chance to win. Some games become a battle of the goaltenders. Which team's goaltender will allow the first goal of the game?
With playoff hockey, the ice always feels smaller, the checking is tighter, and scoring opportunities are limited. Giving up the first goal could spell disaster for a goaltender if that goal ends up being the only goal scored in the game. Luckily for the Leafs, they have two goaltenders who have played very well for them this season. Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll have battled all season to determine who the number one guy is. When a team's goaltending tandem makes it hard for a coach to pick a clear number one, the team is in good hands.
Anthony Stolarz
Anthony Stolarz has been a great addition to the Leafs this season after winning a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season. He has played as advertised. Stolarz has a 16-8-3 record with one shutout in 29 games. He has a 2.35 GAA and a .919 SV%. Many have Stolarz as the number-one starter for Game 1 in the playoffs, but his only downfall is he has never started a playoff game in his career. Can he handle the added pressure of playoff hockey? Hopefully, for the Leafs, he can.
Joseph Woll
Joseph Woll has been everything the Leafs expected him to be. With a 25-13-1 record with one shutout through 39 games, Woll has proven that he can handle an increased workload. His previous high for games played in an NHL season was 25 games last season. Woll has a 3-2 record in seven playoff games with five starts. He has a 1.78 GAA and a .933 SV%, with ten goals allowed on 150 shots in the playoffs. I think he's earned the start for Game 1 of the 2025 playoffs.
Hopefully, one or both of the Leafs goaltenders will play well enough to earn the Leafs a few series wins and a trip to the Stanley Cup final. They will need to steal a game or two along the way and become a hero.