Maple Leafs goalie duel is leading to some uncomfortable questions
The Toronto Maple Leafs navigate an unexpected but welcome dilemma in net during the 2024-25 season.
As seen on the Maple Leafs Daily, they initially supposed to rely on Joseph Woll as the primary starter, a preseason groin injury forced Woll onto injured reserve and this thrust Anthony Stolarz who was signed as a backup into the starting role.
Anthony Stolarz delivered really good performances and kept the Leafs competitive and fostering confidence in his teammates.
Upon Woll's return in late October, some questions began about whether he had lost the starting job and Joseph Woll's initial struggles only intensified speculation.
But he quickly found his form by winning four straight games while allowing just six goals.
His standout performance included a shutout victory against the Vegas Golden Knights last week.
Now, both goalies are doing really good and Anthony Stolarz have a 7-3-2 record with a stellar 2.18 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 12 games.
While Woll has recorded a 5-2-0 record with a 2.00 GAA and a .922 save percentage in seven games.
With both goaltenders playing at such a high level, the Leafs face a dilemma on who they will start at almost every game.
Borrowing from the Boston Bruins' recent success with a goalie tandem, the Leafs could adopt a similar rotation strategy and alternating starts would not only maintain the sharpness of both goalies but also reduce the risk of injury.
Rather than viewing the situation as a problem, the Leafs should see it as a competitive advantage.
Managing the duo carefully could prove to be a winning formula for the remainder of the season, just as it did for the Boston Bruins last year.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 28 | 126 ANSWERS Maple Leafs goalie duel is leading to some uncomfortable questions Should they adopt the same strategy as the Boston Bruins did last year? | ||
| Yes | 69 | 54.8 % |
| No | 57 | 45.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
