Joseph Woll in Jeopardy of Losing Starts to Leafs Teammate Anthony Stolarz After Recent Change

Based on recent changes made by Anthony Stolarz this summer, it could spell bad news for Joseph Woll's chances of taking over as the Maple Leafs' number one goaltender.

Although the Toronto Maple Leafs are presumably operating under a 1A/1B tandem in goal once again, we could see a switch in mentality from the coaching staff this season, at least based on Anthony Stolarz's recent changes this off-season.

The veteran goaltender talked about how he was focusing more on cardio and strength training in order to keep his body better prepared for a long season, which should have major implications for how many starts he gets, ultimately putting Joseph Woll in jeopardy of losing playing time.

A good indication to the changing of the guard was the way the starts were split up heading into the playoffs, where Stolarz was bestowed the honour of starting netminder.

Stolarz received 4 starts in a stretch of 5 games with the division title still on the line before having to concede the final start of the season to Woll once everything was wrapped up. Even beyond that, Stolarz earned 15 of the 26 starts before the season finale.

Additionally, just going purely based on their respective numbers, Stolarz was a cut above the with a .926 SV% and a 2.14 GAA with 4 shutouts in 34 games, compared to Woll who posted a .909 SV% and a 2.73 GAA in 42 games.

Woll struggled a bit with his consistency near the end of the year, perhaps an indication that a heavier workload was taking its toll. He posted a .908 SV% and a GAA above 3 in his final 12 games compared to Stolarz, who held the fort with a .926 SV% and a GAA under 2 in his final 14 contests.

It's not a slight for Woll to retreat into a more traditional backup role, at least compared to how the starts were split up in 2024-25. Injuries could also play a factor into how things ultimately unfold as both goaltenders are known for missing time.

Stolarz is entering a pivotal contract year and his focus this off-season was about maintaining health and strength in order to feature in more games. If everything goes well in camp, we could see a different split in starts from last year with Woll getting the short end of the stick.