Joseph Woll returns to the lineup tonight against Chicago, looking to resume a dominant season that currently places him in the 97th percentile of NHL goaltenders.
Joseph Woll is set to make his return in the Toronto Maple Leafs goal following an eight-day absence due to injury. He will start when the club hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed to reporters Tuesday that the goalie will return after he sustained a lower-body injury back on Dec. 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leafs had placed a one-week timeline on Woll’s injury, putting him right on schedule for his return.
Woll is returning following his second disruption to the 2025-26 season; he previously missed the beginning of the season due to a personal leave. When he returned, Woll posted a 4-3-1 record with a .928 save percentage, generally helping stabilize the club. His save percentage puts him in the 97th percentile among goalies in the NHL this season.
Coincidentally, Woll made his season debut against the Blackhawks on Nov. 15. He made 29 saves on 32 shots in a 3-2 loss in regulation. That game featured Connor Bedard, however, the first overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft will not be in the lineup after being placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
With Anthony Stolarz not expected to be available anytime soon, having a healthy Woll and Hildeby should help the Leafs distribute the goaltending workload. When Hildeby was the only option in goal for the last week, he performed above expectations. The 6-foot-7 goaltender has posted a 2-3-3 record with a .923 save percentage this season.
The Leafs relied heavily on Woll during that eight-game stretch, a period where the coach was asked several times if there was concern about playing him too much. It’ll be interesting to see how Berube distributes the workload going forward.
