Maple Leafs Need to Fix Goaltending to Be Serious Cup Contenders

Amid Auston Matthews and William Nylander missing games in the playoffs, not much has been said about the health of the goaltending tandem. A healthy goaltender is both physically and mentally healthy, someone who thrives under pressure and finds energy in it. Should the Toronto Maple Leafs look elsewhere to find quality goaltending?

What the Maple Leafs Learned About Their Goaltending in the Playoffs

In the first-round seven-game series against their old enemy the Boston Bruins, Ilya Samsonov was in net for five games and only won one. He was on duty for Game 1, the game that sets the tone for the series, in which each team makes its opening statement. By surrendering four goals on 24 shots, Samsonov didn’t give the Maple Leafs a chance to win. In Game 2, he bounced back in spectacular fashion in their 3-2 win, turning away 27 of the 29 shots faced and posting a .931 save percentage (SV%). Still in net for Game 3, he gave up three goals on 33 shots posting a .909 SV%; the game where Bruins’ captain Brad Marchand skated by the bench saying the series would be done in five games.

In Game 4, Samsonov surrendered three goals on 17 shots and head coach Sheldon Keefe had seen enough. He yanked the Russian from the game to replace him with Joseph Woll. The 25-year-old was perfect, stopping the five shots he faced during the 17-odd minutes he manned the net. Woll was Keefe’s choice for the next two games which the Maple Leafs won. The goaltender was the starter for two 2-1 wins to push the series to Game 7, but as he injured himself in the dying moments of Game 6, he was out for the final showdown.

His absence in Game 7 was a huge blow for the Maple Leafs and Woll, who’s been plagued by injuries in the last few years. In 2022, a shoulder injury followed by a high ankle sprain prevented him from taking part in training camp. Then in 2023, he suffered another high ankle sprain and, in the playoffs, it was a back sprain that prevented him from playing the decisive game. Still, even though the Maple Leafs lost Game 7, Samsonov played a good game until the game-winning goal where he could have stepped out of his net to prevent David Pastrnak from getting the puck and planting the final nail in the Maple Leafs’ coffin.

The lesson from yet another early exit in the spring is that goaltending is a pivotal position, for which you need not only depth but confidence. If there’s one area in which you cannot make do with rollercoaster performances, it’s in net. Samsonov says he loves the city and everyone on the team and he’d like to sign a new contract, one that could have some term on it, to make things more manageable for his family.

Where Do the Maple Leafs Go From Here?

Woll still has one year left on his contract, but while he has shown he can play very well under pressure, there’s the small matter of his injury history. Is it all down to misfortune or is he injury prone? Committing yourself to an injury-prone goaltender can be a terrible mistake, just ask Garth Snow about his 15-year contract with Rick DiPietro (this was before the league decided teams could only sign players under their control to eight-year contracts and those who weren’t in the organization to seven-year pacts).

Woll has shown great skills and performances in the playoffs, but you have to plan for the eventuality that he would once again be injured. To do that, you need great goaltending to back him up, not Martin Jones. Jones is 34 and his best years are no doubt behind him. As for Samsonov, the Jekyll and Hyde act he pulled in the playoffs is not necessarily inspiring, even if he would like to be back, I’m not sure the Maple Leafs are ready for another rollercoaster ride.

Who could the Maple Leafs turn to in order to ensure stability that will inspire confidence in the net? Well, they have Dennis Hildeby in their system who looked pretty good in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Marlies last season, but I doubt he could be the answer just yet, as a bit more seasoning would do him some good.

Who Will Be Available in Free Agency This Summer?

The first name that jumps out from the list is Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins won’t be able to keep their All-Star tandem together for much longer, Swayman will want to get paid. Linus Ulmark’s cap hit right now stands at $5 million and it’s hard to imagine Swayman settling for anything less than that. He started the majority of Boston’s games and has the best numbers, not by much but still…I’d be curious to see the reaction to an offer sheet, provided Toronto can find the cap space to do it.