The Toronto Maple Leafs originally announced that goaltender Joseph Woll would be missing his start against the Montreal Canadiens with what was described as a lower-body ailment. It was then reported Wednesday afternoon that Woll be placed on the injured reserve, with PuckPedia as the first to report.
As a result of the IR designation, Woll will miss at least three games and is eligible to return October 16, when the Maple Leafs host the Los Angeles Kings.
Woll spent time sidelined with injuries twice last season: one of them lasting from early December to late February and the other coming on a freak play in Game 6 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins. Over the offseason, general manager Brad Treliving made it a point to mention that the team planned to try and adjust his training regimen in order to improve his durability. Woll played in a career-high 25 games in 2023-24 and impressed in his two playoff games against Boston, winning both with only two goals against. He was expected to assume the role of the team’s starting goaltender, or at least the 1A to Anthony Stolarz, to start the season after signing a three-year contract worth $3.66 million annually.
Woll’s placement on injured reserve (IR) deems him unavailable for seven days, making it increasingly likely that we see goaltending prospect Dennis Hildeby make his NHL debut at some point. Whether his debut comes on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils or later, or at all, is unknown, but the chances have certainly skyrocketed with Woll sidelined.
Stolarz started Wednesday’s opener against the Canadiens. Last season, he had a record of 16-7-2 with a save percentage (SV%) of .925 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.03, leading qualified goaltenders in both categories and picking himself a Stanley Cup ring in the process.