Analysts Share Honest Thoughts on the Maple Leafs' Goaltending After the Latest Joseph Woll Update
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A group of analysts including Hall of Fame goaltender Henrik Lundqvist discussed why Joseph Woll's absence could be a factor in Anthony Stolarz's success this year.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Joseph Woll would be gone for a bit due to an undetermined absence, it threw a wrench into their goaltender plans as Anthony Stolarz is now expected to carry the bulk of the load.
He's up for the task and has given Toronto every reason to believe that he could be their backstop going forward, though his tandem with Woll has been an unquestionable bright spot for both the team and fans.
What Analysts Are Saying About the Maple Leafs' Goaltending Picture
According to former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, that bright spot has become a bit dimmer now that Woll is out for an indefinite amount of time.
Lundqvist was part of a panel filled with prominent analysts including former goaltenders Tripp Tracy and Kevin Weekes as well as analyst EJ Hradek, Ryan Callahan and Andi Petrillo and explained why Woll is so vital to Stolarz's success:
I was going to say, it used to be you needed a backup to win 5 or maybe 7 games; but that's in the past.
Backups now, you need 15 wins or having a guy make 25-30 starts. That's the number for goalies now, what? 55 games tops?
So that means that second guy needs to come in and really deliver.
That's what can make a difference if you make the players or not.
You know what you're getting out of your starter, but what can the backup goalie do in terms of giving your team wins and you look at who makes it.
They all have great tandems with a solid backup.
Backups now, you need 15 wins or having a guy make 25-30 starts. That's the number for goalies now, what? 55 games tops?
So that means that second guy needs to come in and really deliver.
That's what can make a difference if you make the players or not.
You know what you're getting out of your starter, but what can the backup goalie do in terms of giving your team wins and you look at who makes it.
They all have great tandems with a solid backup.
They are so vital to the success of the Maple Leafs that it was Stolarz and Woll who made history as being the first duo to win 20+ games each; and for one of the oldest franchises that's quite the accomplishment.
How Toronto Plans to Manage the Net While Joseph Woll Recovers
Woll's absence however has left a hole not only in the lineup but also in the locker room and it's making things a little harder for Anthony Stolarz.
With injury concerns, asking him to take on an extra workload is a lot to ask even if he wants the extra pressure, and there's a clear reason why why Toronto claimed Cayden Primeau off waivers.
Given that there's no timeline for when we can expect to see Woll, there has to be hope that his mental focus is clear and he's able to perform when he needs to.
We've all seen athletes get a case of the yips, and Woll coming back unprepared is the worst possible scenario. Nothing against Primeau but Woll has elite potential and has shown some serious improvement.
Making sure that he has enough time to mentally and physically prepare for what's to come is no easy task, and Toronto needs to be careful to manage Stolarz's workload while also trying to maintain stability.
It's a balancing act that requires a lot of caution, because they can't afford to overexert Anthony Stolarz or it could lead to their unfortunate downfall.
