Maple Leafs Add Joseph Woll, Dress Another Amateur Goaltender as Samsonov 'Unlikely' to Dress for Remainder of Regular Season
The National Hockey League has listed Joseph Woll on Toronto's official roster, putting an end to the drama that the Leafs could potentially start an amateur goaltender against the Tampa Bay Lighting.
TAMPA — Joseph Woll will get the start in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs after he was permitted to be added to the club's roster on a salary-cap exception, but amateur goaltender Matt Onuska will dress his backup.
Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas addressed reporters on Tuesday to address the carousel of goaltenders that have dressed for the club on an amateur tryout (ATO).
"It's not a spot where we'd continually want to run ATOs but we feel we're in a spot where we're able to do that,"
Ilya Samsonov will not dress for the game against Tampa and Dubas added that it's unlikely he will not dress for the team's finale against the New York Rangers on Thursday.
"I'm not going to get into the specifics other than it's something he has dealt with, he will deal with," Dubas said of Samsonov.
Toronto worked with two different amateur goaltenders at Amalie Arena on Tuesday morning. Dubas was vague when asked if the league permitted Woll based on playing short against the Florida Panthers or because Samsonov was dealing with an injury.
The NHL has reportedly been cracking down on the use of long-term injured reserve and other injury exemptions as the regular season winds down.
The Maple Leafs did not skate on Tuesday but a pair of amateur goaltenders were spotted on the ice at Amalie Arena working with team staff.
On Friday, the Maple Leafs had Woll on their roster when they sent him down to the Toronto Marlies and called up forward Wayne Simmonds. The following morning as the Leafs were getting ready to host the Montreal Canadiens, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said the team went to work Saturday on the possibility that injured goaltender Matt Murray may be able to back up Samsonov but that it may no longer be the case.
It wasn't the case. Later that evening, University of Toronto goaltender Jett Alexander was signed to an amateur tryout and played in the final 70 seconds of Toronto's 7-1 win against Montreal.
The move opened up cap space for Toronto to sign forward prospect Matthew Knies. The team and player came to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract on Sunday and Knies made his NHL debut on Monday in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Florida Panthers.
Hours before the game, the Leafs were informed by the NHL that a request to call up an NHL goaltender under a salary-cap exemption was denied. It's believed the request was rejected on the basis that the emergency exception was created by themselves for choosing to sign Knies and adding him to the roster, rather than adding Woll.
Toronto dressed Owen Sound Attack goaltender Owen Chenard, who backed up Samsonov in Monday's win.
Related