The Toronto Maple Leafs begin their 2024-25 campaign on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens, but they will be without No. 1 goaltender Joseph Woll.
The 26-year-old is battling a lower-body injury, which means Anthony Stolarz is set to start, per TSN's Mark Masters. However, head coach Craig Berube hasn't ruled Woll out for Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils. The team will have more of an update on him before the Devils clash.
“Woll experienced some lower-body tightness yesterday. It's precautionary. So, we're going to keep him out tonight,” Berube said.
Last Thursday, Woll had some discomfort in practice but proceeded to play a full preseason game just days later, allowing two goals on 20 shots. This doesn't sound like it's serious but being cautious right now is probably the best move for the Maple Leafs.
Stolarz joined Toronto this past summer on a two-year deal worth $5 million. He won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season and served as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup. Despite having limited starter experience, Stolarz was impressive in training camp for the Maple Leafs and occupies a ton of space in between the posts. He's 6 foot 6 and 243 pounds.
In his final preseason appearance, Stolarz shut out the Detroit Red Wings. He has a career .915 save percentage.
I thought he had a solid game in Detroit,” Berube said, via Sportsnet. “He's big guy. Obviously takes up a lot of net. Looks very confident to me in net right now.”
Toronto is looking to finally get over the playoff hump after another early exit at the hands of the Panthers. While the Leafs have 13 Stanley Cup titles, they haven't won it all since 1967. That's the longest drought in the NHL.
It won't be any easier in 24-25, with the Eastern Conference as strong as ever. Getting started on the right foot on Wednesday will be key and hopefully, Stolarz can perform in net.