Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Joseph Woll just took an important step, becoming only the 3rd Leafs-drafted goalie in 35 years to hit this massive win milestone, joining Potvin and Reimer.
On Saturday night, Woll delivered a calm, authoritative 5-0 shutout against the Vancouver Canucks, a performance that felt routine only because of how steady he has become. With that win, Woll improved to 10-4-2 on the season, pairing a .921 save percentage with a 2.52 goals against average. Those are not backup numbers anymore.
The milestone is not a round number or a franchise record, but it matters. Reaching double digit wins while maintaining elite efficiency marks the strongest sustained stretch of Woll’s NHL career. He controlled rebounds, tracked the puck through traffic cleanly, and rarely needed desperation saves, a sign of growing command rather than pure athletic survival.
Toronto’s defensive structure helped, but Woll earned this one. Vancouver generated looks off broken plays and net front scrambles, yet Woll stayed composed, sealing posts and freezing pucks to kill momentum before it could build.
Joseph Woll surge reshapes Toronto Maple Leafs goalie plan
From a fan perspective, Woll’s rise has felt organic rather than forced. He has not been handed the net, he has taken it shift by shift, start by start. That earns trust in a market that rarely offers patience.
Stolarz’s return complicates things, but not negatively. The Leafs suddenly have stability rather than survival in goal. If Stolarz is ready, Dennis Hildeby will likely be returned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies despite playing extremely well this season. Hildeby has exceeded expectations, but roster math is unforgiving.
That does not diminish Hildeby’s contribution. His poise bought Toronto time, and his development curve looks promising. Still, Woll’s numbers and body of work make it clear who the present belongs to.
The coaching staff now faces a rare luxury, choosing between healthy, effective goaltenders rather than scrambling for answers like they did in the Petr Mrazek, Jack Campbell, Ilya Samsonov eras. Woll has positioned himself as the default option, not because of hype, but because of consistency.
This is how careers turn corners. Quietly, without announcements, a goalie stops being a question and starts being a solution.
For the Maple Leafs, Woll’s milestone is not the shutout itself. It is the realization that their crease, for the first time in a while, feels settled.
Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily