Joseph Woll's stunning trade to the Philadelphia Flyers shone a new light on the Maple Leafs' philosophy when it comes to how they're building their crease.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers, it was a trade that not only shook up the Maple Leafs lineup but showed that John Chayka is not afraid of making those changes he's been adamant about. But while it didn't solve their logjam, it opened up a lot more flexibility elsewhere - and that's a good thing.
Toronto's return package included mobile offensive defenceman Emil Andrae as well as young goaltender Samuel Ersson. Now that still leaves the Maple Leafs with four goalies yet again, though it's clear that the team is focusing on the future and getting younger regardless of past achievements.
Trading Woll and Benoit was as much about opening cap space as it was overhauling the roster
One of the main reasons for that isn't only because of how Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov have both come up and proven they could be the next tandem of the future, but for the fact that Ersson is an RFA, as is Andrae.
That means they aren't a cap hit yet, and Toronto can simply move on if they don't want them.
But while that seems unlikely given that both Ersson and Andrae have a spot in some fashion, that trade was incredibly important for setting up future moves. Woll and Benoit cost a combined $5-million meanwhile Toronto acquired no cap hit, and a pick on top of it. That $5-million certainly helps ease the Darren Raddysh deal, and it gives Toronto a lot of flexibility this offseason.
Right now, Toronto has just a shade under $19-million to work with and have potentially upwards of another $10-million opened up if they can deal Morgan Rielly and potentially Brandon Carlo. That is a lot more money than they've had in a while and it could lead to a signing like Alex Tuch - someone who is asking for eight figures on his upcoming deal.
Even if Tuch is signed for that hit, that just replaces the Rielly and Carlo deals, giving Toronto that same $19-million to sign their RFA's and make smaller signings. It's something we haven't been able to experience and if they have the money...why not spend it?
What good is it just sitting around? It's not gaining interest.
Though the Maple Leafs are now flexible, they still have a logjam in the crease
Trading Woll seemed rash or brazen given that he was a hometown talent who was beloved by the fans and locker room and did a lot for the community. But he's also incredibly streaky and someone who can be good, but can also struggle mightily at times.
If you take out his first two seasons where he was lights out as a rookie, Woll has a 54-41-9 record with a 3.00 GAA and .904 SV%. While these numbers aren't bad per se, it's certainly not the Woll we would have expected and in terms of adjusted point shares is on pace with guys like Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen and Michael Neuvirth - not exactly superstars.
So instead of risking a potentially bad season, the team gambles on Ersson bouncing back. He has similar numbers to Woll over his career albeit a little worse, but he's younger and also likely cheaper if the team re-signs him.
But with the emergence of Akhtyamov in the Calder Cup Final, Hildeby looking to fully make the leap to the NHL and Anthony Stolarz still kicking around, there's not a lot of room.
But John Chayka admitted that his young goalies fighting for a spot pushed him to move off veteran talent, and the team acquiring Ersson could lead to a future move where perhaps the team does indeed dump Stolarz and run with an Ersson/Hildeby tandem.
It's a good problem to have but it's one that Chayka has to be careful with because eventually you're going to have to make a decision and it might not be one that everyone agrees with.
Do you think Toronto made a mistake by trying Joseph Woll away?
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