Massive goaltending/cap circumvention controversy in Toronto may finally have a proper resolution
As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare for a playoff preview tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it looks as if goaltender Ilya Samsonov will be getting a well-deserved night off. However, the question mark that remained this morning was a matter of who will be taking the crease.
With Matt Murray being sidelined due to a head injury, the team has been reviewing his status day-to-day. In his spot, the Leafs find themselves in a unique position. Earlier this morning, it looked as if the team was going to be forced to dress two goalies on ATOs (amateur tryouts) due to the league prohibiting the Leafs from recalling goaltender Joseph Woll on an emergency basis.
Nick Chenard, the goalie who dressed last night against the Florida Panthers, was only eligible for one game under the ATO rules, meaning he is unable to take the crease again tonight against the Lightning. At the Leafs' game-day skate, it was reported that two different goalies were participating, Matt Onuska of the Windsor Spitfires and Samuel Richard of the University of New Brunswick Reds.
Shortly thereafter and recently reported by Luke Fox of Sportsnet, Joseph Woll has since appeared as listed on the Maple Leafs' official roster. If this is the case, this means the Leafs are likely to only dress one of Onuska or Richard tonight to be a backup to Woll in the case of an injury.
As another ATO goalie is set to suit up in the blue and white tonight, the Leafs will have dressed three ATOs in three games straight, with the team winning the first two. This scenario is certainly a strange one, but nonetheless, it is happening in a rather meaningless game for both sides. At the same time, this allows Samsonov, the likely Game 1 starter, to have some much-needed rest ahead of the postseason.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 11 | 209 ANSWERS Massive goaltending/cap circumvention controversy in Toronto may finally have a proper resolution Will the Leafs play another ATO tonight? | ||
| No, Woll will stand tall | 162 | 77.5 % |
| Yes, expect the unexpected | 47 | 22.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
