Signed for another two years at a cap hit of just $766K, Joseph Woll's current contract looks like a bargain for the Leafs. In 7 appearances this season, he is 6-1 with a .932 save percentage and with the injury to Ilya Samsonov, Woll is also in line to start Game 4 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday night. What an eventful rookie season it's been!
Woll recently sat down with Sportsnet's Luke Fox to discuss his current contract, among other things, and even he knows it looks like a bargain for the Leafs. Woll has a great attitude about it though and is looking to outplay the value of his contract to put his name on the map.
"When you signed your contract extension in February 2022, was it a quick process? Were you considering going shorter term and try to prove yourself at the NHL level before committing? Because it's looking like a good deal for the team right now, the way you're playing," asked Fox.
Woll's response is certainly going to endear him to Leafs Nation. The rookie netminder said, "I appreciate that. To be honest, I think it was right after I had gotten injured last year when we were sorting it out. I had hurt my knee a little bit after that, and I wasn't even thinking about the deal because it was still [February] or whatever it was. I got a call from my agent, and he said, 'We were talking about negotiating your next contract.' I hadn't thought about it at all and had no idea what to expect. So, I was very happy with what they'd offered me, and it was a pretty quick process. I think, for me, I really want to be in Toronto. I love playing here. I love the people. I love the city. So, I don't want to be anywhere else. So, for me committing for a longer period of time, I was very excited to. And I think they're very fair in what they offered. I think it was a perfect deal for both of us. I would say the aim is to always try and outperform the contract. If I'm able to do that, that's awesome. So, we'll see what happens."
Since being drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft, Woll has had a number of injury setbacks but finally appears to have turned the corner on those and he is going to be the Leafs' first homegrown goalie to start a playoff game since James Reimer and the first rookie goalie to start a playoff game since Felix Potvin in 1993. Woll appears to have forced the Leafs' hand this off-season and the club will have to part ways with either Samsonov or Matt Murray to free up a roster spot for Woll as he will lose his waiver exemption status at the start of next season. The Leafs cannot afford to lose another goalie on the waiver wire even if they have a handful of prospects as Woll is the most developed of them all and could be a very useful backup.
