Injured Reserve Places Goaltender Out for Season Opener

In a recent development, the Toronto Maple Leafs have placed goaltender Joseph Woll on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury. This move comes ahead of the team’s season-opening game scheduled to be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Wednesday. As a result of this decision, Woll will be unavailable for a minimum of seven days, causing him to miss at least the first three games of the new National Hockey League (NHL) season.

“It’s obviously a setback,” stated head coach Craig Berube, who confirmed Woll’s status during a press briefing earlier on Wednesday. Berube announced that the Leafs would start their opening match with another goaltender in place, with Anthony Stolarz being called up on an emergency basis to fill in as the backup goaltender.

Joseph Woll, 26, was selected 62nd overall in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has since been a crucial asset to the team, appearing in 36 games over the past three seasons. During the previous season, Woll played in 25 games, boasting a 12-11-1 record, a 2.95 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage. He also featured in three playoff games, securing two wins before an injury sidelined him, particularly impacting his involvement in Game 7 of the Leafs’ first-round playoff series loss.

This injury to one of their main goaltenders places more pressure on the remaining roster of netminders. Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby, both considered solid options, are expected to fill in during Woll’s absence. “We have confidence in the depth of our goaltending,” said Berube, emphasizing the team’s preparedness to handle the current situation.