Ex-Leaf dislikes how Leafs Nation is treating Joseph Woll
Photo credit: CHRISTOPHER HANEWINCKEL-USA TODAY SPORTS
I think anyone who is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs knows at least one person who follows the team who is very quick to cast guys out and disparage them when things don't go according to plan. We saw it with Ilya Samsonov earlier this season, with many hoping he'd be claimed on waivers or traded after clearing. Right about now, following Samsonov's return to form, I'm sure many of those same individuals are not pleased with this most recent run of games from rookie netminder Joseph Woll.
On the surface, Woll's last 5 games paint a pretty concerning picture. He's lost 4 of his last 5 starts and has posted a SV% over .900 just once, in a 2-1 loss to Carolina on March 24th. However, it's also important to note that he's coming off of a devastating ankle injury, which forced him out of action for more than two months. It's going to take awhile for him to shake off the rust, especially with everyone else in late-season form, preparing themselves for the playoffs.
Woll is taking a lot of heat for his poor and inconsistent play of late, which I'm sure isn't helping matters. Goalies, especially young ones, tend to ebb and flow as their confidence goes up and down. In Toronto, where everything is under a microscope and where there can be a lot of media attention, the players feel it more than players in other markets do, which one former Leaf, Jay Rosehill, believes is contributing to the problem in Toronto. His message? Ease up on these guys and help build them up with support and positivity instead of always breaking them down with negativity and spite.
"It's my biggest gripe with this market. It's my biggest gripe with the Toronto Maple Leafs media, fanbase, the city itself, the whole Leafs Nation is they're far too quick to turn.
If you care about this team and you're frustrated by not winning in the past, what angle do you want to take? Do you want to just expect perfection when you don't see it, tear it apart and start again? We've been doing it for decades and no one can get over the hump, because you tear them down when they're not perfect and nobody's perfect.
So, if you want Joseph Woll to become the next Carey Price, what way are you going to go down? Are you going to tear him down? Or are you going to support him? This guy is a very good goaltender, he's very young, his potential is through the roof. Are support him, or are you going to tear him down every time he has a misstep? The choice is up to Leafs Nation, and I know which way they've gone in the past, and it is frustrating - I've been vocal about it - you've gotta support these guys and help them develop into what they are. Don't make it a toxic environment, because it's hard to flourish in those."
If you care about this team and you're frustrated by not winning in the past, what angle do you want to take? Do you want to just expect perfection when you don't see it, tear it apart and start again? We've been doing it for decades and no one can get over the hump, because you tear them down when they're not perfect and nobody's perfect.
So, if you want Joseph Woll to become the next Carey Price, what way are you going to go down? Are you going to tear him down? Or are you going to support him? This guy is a very good goaltender, he's very young, his potential is through the roof. Are support him, or are you going to tear him down every time he has a misstep? The choice is up to Leafs Nation, and I know which way they've gone in the past, and it is frustrating - I've been vocal about it - you've gotta support these guys and help them develop into what they are. Don't make it a toxic environment, because it's hard to flourish in those."
The rant from Rosehill really did say it all. It's tough to be positive when we're surrounded by so many negatives, but with Woll showing a lot of promise in his young career, the last thing this market needs to do is destroy the confidence of yet another goaltender. Woll has played well enough over the past two seasons to warrant the benefit of the doubt here, and while, yes, it is frustrating to watch this team lose games they should win, supporting them through thick and thin will make the wins feel that much sweeter, especially in the playoffs.
| POLL | ||
MARS 28 | 356 ANSWERS Ex-Leaf dislikes how Leafs Nation is treating Joseph Woll Do you think the fans and media contribute to the difficulty of winning in Toronto? | ||
| Yes, it's a tough market to succeed in | 275 | 77.2 % |
| No, you're a pro. Go out and play to win | 81 | 22.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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