A former third round selection from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft is really starting to shine for the Leafs in his pursuit of becoming an NHL goaltender. Joseph Woll has started the season 5-0-0 with an incredible .932 SV% and a 2.00 GAA for the AHL's Toronto Marlies after missing significant time due to injury, dating back to last season. It may be a small sample size, but Marlies' head coach Greg Moore has nothing but high praise for his goaltender since his return from injury.
"He's way beyond that (where he was last season). It's really impressive right now how calm and easy he's making the game look, You wouldn't think that he's been out with the injuries that he's had and missed the games that he's missed. He looks like he's midseason form, been playing every day for the last four years. He's really fun to watch and gave us a good chance to win the hockey game tonight."
The Toronto Marlies currently sit in first place in the AHL's North Division with a 17-8-1-1 record, which is 6 points clear of the second place Rochester Americans. Woll has a lot of competition as he makes his way back from injury with Keith Petruzzelli, Dylan Ferguson, and Erik Kallgren all in the system and right behind him, but he hasn't shown any kind of rust and is primed to push Kallgren for starting duties as soon as possible.
This is a big year for the young net-minder as well, as he has posted so-so numbers over the last 3 seasons with the Marlies. 11-16-3 with a .880 SV% in 2019-20, then 7-7-0 with a .892 SV% in 2020-21, and a 6-7-0 with a .907 in 2021-22. This year he looks ready to shatter his previous numbers and maybe be looked at as the next call-up in case of emergency or injury on the big club.
