Toronto Maple Leafs Name Starter Ahead of Game vs. Kings: Goaltender Battle Heats Up
The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday from Scotiabank Arena, and they've announced Anthony Stolarz will mend the net for tonight.
With Joseph Woll's return still unknown, it was positive to see the injured netminder practicing with the Maple Leafs during Wednesday morning's optional skate. In his absence, Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby have held their own and made sure the Maple Leafs have gotten off on the right track to start the 2024-2025 season.
But with Stolarz's performance recently and Woll's underlying injury issues; it seems we have a battle for goaltender supremacy in the Maple Leafs crease:
It seems Anthony Stolarz will be called upon again to help Toronto against Los Angeles, and with him starting in three of four games and showing himself to be a #1 starter, it's Woll's job to win again. There will no doubt be eyes on Woll once he returns, and being under the microscope in Toronto will add pressure on the young goalie to not only perform well but keep the Maple Leafs' momentum strong.
Woll's been solid so far in his short tenure with the Maple Leafs, going 21-13-1 with a 2.76 GAA and .912 SV%, and was the key factor in Toronto being able to stick around until Game 7 against the Boston Bruins last season.
If https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nhl/boston-bruins/bruins-leafs-takeaways-toronto-forces-game-7/609776/ doesn't get back to form quickly, it won't do the team any good to wait around when they know Stolarz can do the job. Look for Craig Berube to pull the plug on Woll if there's a struggle, entrusting the veteran backup to run the show. Woll's return would push Dennis Hildeby into the third-string role or send him back to the Marlies and while unfortunate for the Swedish giant, he already has his first career win and will be called upon if Woll goes down again without question.
Stolarz has been as advertised so far in Toronto, going 1-1-0 with a 1.54 GAA and .940 SV%, his only loss being Toronto's season opener against Montreal, though not for a lack of effort from the team. Only letting in three goals on 50 shots, Stolarz has been the stalwart backstop Toronto needed when they signed him this offseason.
There seems to be a battle of netminders in Toronto, with Joseph Woll itching to show he can be the future #1 of the Maple Leafs. But is it too little, too late since they already have a #1 starter who can do Woll's job better.
The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night from Scotiabank Arena; the game starts at 7:30 PM ET.
