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Miroslav Holinka, Edmonton Oil Kings (Edmonton Oil Kings Hockey Club/LA Media)

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Holinka, Woll & Ho-Sang

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Feb 22, 2026 12:10 PM ET

Some days the news cycle is wild; other days it’s just a steady drip of updates that say a lot about where the organization is heading or from its past. This one leans toward the second category. Still, plenty is happening around the edges of the roster. A prospect is heating up, a goalie is working his way back into the mix, and an old Marlies name popped back up again for the first time in a while.

It’s a good reminder of how big the Toronto Maple Leafs system really is. You’ve got kids trying to push their way into the conversation, veterans trying to stay in it, and former players whose stories resurface. Let’s walk through the three items making noise today.

Item One: Miroslav Holinka Keeps Climbing — Three-Point Night and Rising Fast

Miroslav Holinka had himself another night, even if the Western Hockey League (WHL) Edmonton Oil Kings got thumped 8–4 by the Brandon Wheat Kings. He finished with a goal and two assists and was one of the few players who actually looked dangerous every shift. That’s been his recent body of work. He’s up to 10 points in his last seven games and playing with the confidence of a prospect who knows he’s breaking through.

The season numbers are even better: 32 goals and 40 assists in 49 games. For a fifth-round pick from 2024, that’s a huge step forward. He’s shooting more, he’s driving play, and he’s showing way more consistency than last year. If he keeps this pace, he’s going to force the Maple Leafs to bump his name higher on the organization’s depth chart.

Item Two: Joseph Woll Back at Practice and Looking Ready

The Maple Leafs got a bit of good news when Joseph Woll returned to practice after missing a session with the flu. Nothing serious, just an illness reset. This is important because the team will need both him and Anthony Stolarz ready to go when the schedule resumes.

Woll’s numbers are steady: 13–7–4 with a .908 save percentage, two shutouts, and that calming style that his teammates like. When he’s on, the whole team looks a little more organized in front of him. With the Tampa Bay Lightning up next, the crease is probably a night-by-night competition between Woll and Stolarz. At least now both guys are healthy enough to give it a real push.

Item Three: Josh Ho-Sang Pops Back Into the Conversation

Every so often, a name from the past shows up again, and this week it’s Josh Ho-Sang. Hard to believe it’s been a few years since he had that season with the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies, showing all the skill that made him such a hyped first-round pick. The hands, the creativity—he still had it. But the Maple Leafs didn’t re-sign him, and that exit started yet another curious, winding chapter of his career.

Josh Ho-Sang, New York Islanders, Sept. 17, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Since then, he’s been everywhere: Sweden, the ECHL (where he won a Kelly Cup), a short Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) run, and, most recently, another attempt in Russia that ended abruptly. He got hurt early, never got into a game, and was released on Feb. 10. Now he’s 30, a free agent again, and trying to figure out what the next step even looks like. Ho-Sang’s career has always been a mix of talent, odd overconfidence, and tough turns. This latest twist fits right into that pattern.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Maple Leafs resume their schedule with a back-to-back in Florida on Wednesday, and the next stretch feels make-or-break important. They’ve got competition brewing in the crease, prospects pushing from below, and depth decisions coming up soon.

Holinka’s surge gives them an option for another season. Woll’s return gives them stability right now. Ho-Sang’s story? Well, that’s a reminder that skill alone isn’t always enough, and hockey careers don’t always follow a straight line.

Even when there are no games, there’s plenty to keep an eye on as the Maple Leafs head into the next part of the season.