A shoulder injury dating back to last season kept the goaltender on the sidelines. He then suffered an ankle injury during his recovery. Now he’s set to practice with the Toronto Marlies on Tuesday.
Last week, Toronto’s goaltending depth never looked so thin.
What a difference a week can make.
With Matt Murray set to return on from an adductor injury on Tuesday and Ilya Samsonov taking part in his first practice since sustaining a knee injury last week, word comes that Joseph Woll will finally take part in a full team practice, albeit with the Toronto Marlies, for the first time in months.
“We’re hopeful in the next two-to-three weeks that he can be back up and cleared and get through full practices,” Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said of Woll.
Toronto’s third-round pick (62nd overall) in the 2016 NHL draft, Woll last played in a game on Mar. 17 while with the Marlies when Hershey’s Eddie Wittchow collided with the the goaltender.
Woll had been out of action with a shoulder injury. He missed Toronto’s training camp with the ailment after first having a setback with the shoulder. A subsequent ankle injury kept him out longer.
The 24-year-old Woll made four starts with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season in which he posted a 3-1-0 record with an .911 save percentage. He also carries the distinction of becoming the first goaltender to ever record a shutout at UBS Arena after making 20 saves in a 3-0 win against the New York Islanders on Nov. 21.
Had he been healthy, Woll likely would have had another shot at the NHL level as the Leafs were dealing with injuries to both Murray and Samsonov.
Once he gets back up to speed, Woll will likely stay with the Marlies for the foreseeable future to get his conditioning back to where it used to be.
Woll had a 6-7-0 record and .907 save percentage with Marlies team that was not very good in front of him last season.