Joseph Woll Reveals Why He Struggled In First AHL Season.

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April 20, 2020 (12:23)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have got the goalie situation solved for at least two more years. Starter Frederik Andersen is signed through the 2020-21 season and Jack Campbell is signed through 2021-22. We'll have to wait and see if the Leafs keep Andersen around because of their salary cap restrictions over the next couple of years, but they at least have some solid talent in the pipeline. Both Ian Scott and Joseph Woll have shown some great signs of potential. Unfortunately for Woll, while Scott continues to dominate the WHL, Woll decided to make the big jump from the NCAA to AHL last year and it was a bit of a reality check. The 21 year old went from turning heads at Boston College to just keeping his head above water in the AHL as he posted a 3.75 goals against average and .880 save percentage. Woll believes the reason for his struggles was specific to one thing, the mental aspect. «It's been a bit of a roller-coaster. For the first time in my life, I had a lot of ups and downs that I had to deal with, but things like that make you better in the long run.»
"Definitely learning why traditionally and historically goalies take a little bit longer to develop," Woll said. "It's because it's such a mental game and it's about making sure you're keeping a short mindset and being dialled in every, single night.""I'd say a combination of the schedule and the lifestyle around it, because at school you're busy throughout the day and you have, obviously, class work to fill your time. You make the transition to pro and it's just hockey that's your only focus. Then the amount of games you play is twice as much as college so that was an adjustment and you have to be pretty short-minded and you can't hang too long on your losses or too long on your victories, you have to have that short mindset." The young goalie seems very grounded and ready to deal with his second season in the AHL next year.

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