Projected Starter Identified for Maple Leafs; Troubling Update on Joseph Woll Revealed
The Maple Leafs have received solid goaltending from both Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby through 2 games, but only one of them can start in the home opener.
With Joseph Woll landing on Injured Reserve earlier this week, it was up to Anthony Stolarz to tend the twine in the Maple Leafs' season opener in Montreal on Wednesday. The newcomer posted 26 saves on 27 shots and made several terrific saves in a successful Leafs debut, but ultimately fell short of the win due to his team providing him with no goal support.
The early belief was that Stolarz might also get the start in his home State of New Jersey on Thursday, playing both ends of the back-to-back against the Habs and the Devils, but on Thursday afternoon, if was confirmed that rookie sensation Dennis Hildeby would receive the start and he did not disappoint, picking him his first career NHL win, a 4-2 victory over the Devils.
Coming into Saturday's home opener, the Leafs had given up very little information about who may start. If Saturday's report from The Hockey News' David Alter is a good indicator, Stolarz appears to be the guy.
Stolarz occupied the home net during Saturday's morning skate in Toronto, which is usually the determining factor in who will start.
The Stanley Cup champion posted some ridiculous numbers for the Florida Panthers last season, finishing the 2023-24 campaign with a staggering .925 SV%. He has also started his 2024-25 campaign on a very strong note, posting a .963 SV% against the Canadiens on Wednesday.
With Woll's status still up in the air, with Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirming that the young goaltender has not skated since being placed on IR, we could get an extended look at Stolarz and Hildeby in the coming weeks.
When Woll was placed on IR on Wednesday, it was announced that he'd be sidelined through the first 3 games of the season with some lower body tightness. Now, with the oft-injured goaltender not having skated at all, it would appear as though his absence could be extended beyond that intitial 3-game projection. While not exactly ideal for the Leafs, they do have two very capable goalies to fill the void.
There is currently no timeline available for Woll's recovery, per Berube.
