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Opinion: Joseph Woll Needs to Return Soon

Originally posted on Inside The Rink
By Jeremy Ridgewell | Last updated Nov 12, 2025 9:09 AM ET

Joseph Woll took part in his first professional game of the season. After a month away for a personal leave of absence, Woll played just over 30 minutes on Saturday. He is with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL on a conditioning stint. With the way the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing lately, his return to the NHL can’t come fast enough.

Woll looked okay during Saturday’s game. He stopped 21 of 24 shots. The most important thing is that he left the game healthy. His NHL return date is not set yet, but fans will be hoping it’s soon. The Maple Leafs’ goaltending has struggled. Anthony Stolarz’s numbers are drastically higher than last season. Cayden Primeau and Dennis Hildeby were used sparingly, but are not reliable NHL back-ups.

The Leafs tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz helped the team to an Atlantic Division title last season. With Joseph Woll out of the lineup to start the season, Leafs management were hoping that Stolarz could hold down the fort as the team’s number one goaltender. However, the Leafs are 8-7-1 through 16 games and sit 7th in the Atlantic Division. If it weren’t for the team’s star players getting off to a good start, the Leafs would be in much worse shape.

Joseph Woll finished last season with a 27-14-1 record with a 2.73 GAA and a .909 SV%. He has a career record of 48-27-2 with the Leafs. For the Leafs to turn things around, they will need Woll to play to that same caliber. Hopefully, when Joseph Woll returns and some of the pressure is lifted from Stolarz, he too will regain the caliber of play the Leafs expect.

Joseph Woll Speaks to Media

Now, obviously, the media and fans would like to know more about why Woll needed to take a leave of absence. However, when a player or team claims it’s for personal reasons, I think the media should respect that and refrain from asking numerous questions. During his media availability on Friday, Woll did speak briefly about his time away.

Woll began his media session on Friday by thanking his teammates and the Maple Leafs organization for their support. He also thanked the members of the media for respecting his privacy. Woll told reporters that he does not wish to respond to questions regarding the specifics behind his absence. He also informed the media that if or when he feels comfortable, he will bring it up of his own accord.

Despite the disappointment he felt in being away from his teammates, Woll expressed how happy he is to be back. He is looking forward to putting the work in to get game-ready. I expect Woll to get another start with the Marlies before rejoining the Leafs. We should see him back on the ice with the Leafs sometime next week. He could be in the net as early as Tuesday, November 18th, when the Leafs host the St. Louis Blues.

This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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