With general manager John Chayka actively exploring the trade market to address a crowded crease, the Toronto Maple Leafs must decide which half of their NHL tandem to move forward with. While Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll have split the workload, keeping Woll over Stolarz is the more logical path for the front office.
Age, contract structure, and upside all lean in Woll’s favour.
Woll should be the Maple Leafs' answer in net, not Stolarz
At 27 years old, Woll represents the longer-term option in Toronto’s net. He is entering the first year of a three-year extension at a team-friendly $3.6 million cap hit. Stolarz, meanwhile, is 32 and carries a $3.75 million cap hit on his new deal, which is set to kick in July 1. From a roster-building standpoint, committing to a goalie entering his mid-30s carries far more risk than sticking with a younger, homegrown option still entering his prime.
Performance trends from this past season also point in Woll’s direction. Stolarz finished with a 10-10-3 record, a 3.28 goals-against average, and an .893 save percentage in 26 appearances before a lower-body injury ended his year early. Woll has had his own durability concerns, but his level of play when healthy has generally shown a higher ceiling, with stretches where he’s been the more consistent of the two.
Keeping Woll also creates a clearer developmental path for the organization’s depth chart. If Stolarz is moved, Woll can step into a more defined starter role while allowing a younger option like Artur Akhtyamov or Dennis Hildeby to settle into a backup job without being rushed.
Moving Stolarz would also clear a larger financial commitment from the books and allow Toronto to get value from a player who is entering the back half of his career. By keeping Woll, the Maple Leafs would be betting on a younger, cheaper, and higher-upside option to carry them into the next phase of their roster build.
