The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in an ironic situation. The club has finally rallied to pull off its best stretch of the season. However, the 4-1-0 road trip ended with Joseph Woll going down with an injury.
While the injury may not be anything severe, at least that’s not certain at this point, there is cause for concern. Mark Masters reported that Anthony Stolarz has not skated since November 11. That’s no bueno as Stolarz is nowhere near a return to game action.
That situation has left Maple Leafs fans and the media asking how any of this could have happened. But Elliotte Friedman could have provided some interesting insights. During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman discussed the possible reasons for Woll’s injury.
He stated:
“Woll is just not built to play that much in a row. He’d been playing fantastic. And he’d been playing massive on the road trip.”
The comment underscores how the Maple Leafs’ mismanagement could have been the primary cause for Woll’s injury. Since returning to the ice on November 15, Woll started eight of the Maple Leafs’ nine games. The only start he didn’t make was on November 29 in Pittsburgh. Dennis Hildeby got the call in the game.
As such, Friedman’s comments raise the question of whether Woll’s injury is just a matter of rest.
If it is, the Maple Leafs could roll with Dennis Hildeby on Saturday night against the Canadiens and Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Beyond that, it’s unclear whether Woll may be ready to return.
Maple Leafs Relying Too Much on One Goalie
So, the biggest question at this point is whether the Maple Leafs run their goalies too hard. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz were meant to carry the load as a tandem. However, Woll missed the start of the season, forcing the club to give Anthony Stolarz more than his usual share of starts.
That situation led to Stolarz essentially blowing out after a month or so into the season. Stolarz has an upper-body injury, and that’s that.
As for Woll, he had been brilliant before the injury. However, Craig Berube’s overreliance on Woll led to him also getting hurt. The problem isn’t necessarily the problem. The issue lies in not having both goalies healthy at the same time.
Both Toronto Goalies on Different Timelines
The issue compounds further as both Stolarz and Woll are on different timelines. Stolarz is unlikely to return in 2025. Meanwhile, Woll might have a chance at returning. But given the way the Maple Leafs’ season has gone, time is not a luxury. The club needs to rally behind Dennis Hildeby, like it did in Pittsburgh, and continue the momentum.
The Maple Leafs are within striking distance of a playoff spot. A win against Montreal would help close the gap even further. Perhaps Toronto could finish 2025 in a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division. But all of that depends on how the club can fare without one of its top two goalies.
Given how Woll and Stolarz are on different timelines, it’s unlikely both goalies will ever be healthy at the same time this season.
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