Keefe explains why he's sticking with Woll in Leafs' net for now
The Toronto Maple Leafs are handing the keys to Joseph Woll.
With the team set to face the Dallas Stars later this evening, the 25-year-old goalie will be between the pipes for his second consecutive game for the first time this year.
After telling the media on Saturday that Woll was “pushing” Ilya Samsonov for more starts, it seems like Keefe has more confidence with the third-year goalie, who’s played just 14 regular-season games.
Woll has put up a league-best .958 save percentage in his three appearances, compared to a .831 save percentage (and a mid-game pull last Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning) for Samsonov.
“[Woll has] played extremely well. That’s part of it. The other part, probably equally as significant, it just gives us more time for [Samsonov]. Coming off a day off, he gets a good workout today. He can have a good practice tomorrow and get ready for Nashville,” Keefe told reporters at Thursday’s morning skate, as per TSN’s Mark Masters, alluding to the likelihood of Samsonov returning to the Leafs’ net on Saturday.
Earlier this week, Keefe spoke highly of the skillset that Woll, who was drafted by the Leafs way back in 2016, brings to the table.
“Just how composed he was and yet athletic at the same time. He is composed and under control, and there were some saves that required a great deal of athleticism to make a sort of desperation type of save,” Keefe added earlier in the week about Woll’s strengths. “He tracks the puck, he finds it, and he has the flexibility, strength, and athleticism to get there. It was impressive.”
While there’s still plenty of time for Samsonov to find his form and reclaim his spot as the team’s No. 1 goalie, it seems like he’s been at least temporarily usurped on the team’s depth chart.
- You might also like:
- Leafs' Auston Matthews trolls Pat McAfee Show with hilarious answer