Woll hasn't appeared in a regular season game for the Maple Leafs yet this season.
Woll hasn't appeared in a regular season game for the Maple Leafs yet this season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have activated Joseph Woll from injured reserve and is set to make his season debut when the club hosts the St. Louis Blues.
Earlier in the day, TSN's Darren Dreger said there was a "decent chance" that the club would active the goaltender.
In a post on X on Thursday morning, Dreger reported that there are many storylines going into this matchup against the Blues, including Woll's potential return and head coach Craig Berube's first game against his former team.
Woll has been sidelined since the beginning of the regular season with what he described as "groin tightness." On the eve of Toronto's season opener, the goaltender was speaking as if he was getting the start against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9.
Before their game in Montreal, Woll was placed on injured reserve. The goaltender has skated in numerous practices with the team since and is looking forward to returning to game action and helping the Maple Leafs.
"Anytime you get injured, whether a big injury, small injury, I think there is that kind of initial emotion. A little bit of frustration, a little bit of disappointment, and all those things," Woll said on Friday.
"I think you let that come for a bit and then you focus on what you can control and what you can do, so since then, I've just been focused on doing everything I can possibly do to get back to 100 percent as soon as I can and help this team."
Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby have started in the team's seven games with Woll out of commission. Stolarz signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Maple Leafs and has played in five of Toronto's six games, winning three while putting up a .938 save percentage.
Hildeby stopped 21 of 23 shots against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 10, securing his first NHL win in his debut. The Swede had a tougher matchup in his next start, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, where he allowed six goals on 38 shots.
It's expected that the 23-year-old netminder will be sent down to the Toronto Marlies to make room for Woll.
Woll is in the final year of a deal, which earns him $766,667 per season. After this year, the netminder will enter into a three-year, $11 million contract, which he signed with the Maple Leafs on July 1. The annual average value of that deal will be $3,666,667.
The goaltender has played 36 games since being drafted by Toronto in the third round (62nd overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. Woll, while dealing with several injuries throughout his three seasons with the Maple Leafs, has put up a 21-13-1 record and a .912 save percentage
Related
Maple Leafs Rank An Underwhelming 23rd On The Athletic’s NHL Executive Poll
'I'm Not Sure How Bad It Will Be': Max Pacioretty Injured In Maple Leafs Loss To Blue Jackets
News from THN.com
Blue Jackets And Panthers Honor Johnny Gaudreau At Columbus Home-Opener