The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing an unexpected challenge in their goaltending department as Joseph Woll has been placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury. The injury, which occurred during Thursday's 5-1 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes, forced Woll to exit the game after two periods. The move is retroactive to December 4th.
Woll's injury is a significant blow to the Maple Leafs, as he has been a key player since returning to the lineup on November 15th, starting in eight of nine games. This setback marks another interruption in a season that was already disrupted by a leave of absence. The team has relied heavily on Woll, especially with Anthony Stolarz also sidelined due to an upper-body injury sustained on November 11th.
In response to these injuries, the Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Artur Akhtyamov from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). This move potentially opens the door for Akhtyamov to make his NHL debut.
With both Woll and Stolarz unavailable, Dennis Hildeby is now expected to take on the starting role. Hildeby, who is 1-2-1 with a .917 save percentage in seven NHL games, has primarily been used in relief this season. Despite modest AHL numbers, Hildeby's NHL performance has been promising, ranking high in goals saved above expected among goalies with at least five games played. Teammates have expressed confidence in Hildeby's ability to handle the increased workload. "Beast came in and was unbelievable for us... he handled it with a lot of confidence, made some big saves for us," said Auston Matthews.
Akhtyamov, who was drafted by Toronto in 2020, will serve as Hildeby's backup. This season in the AHL, Akhtyamov has a 7-5-0 record with an .896 save percentage.
The Maple Leafs will face the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, with Hildeby expected to start and Akhtyamov backing him up. The team hopes Hildeby can maintain his strong play as they navigate this stretch without their top two goaltenders. The team has placed Woll on injured reserve, retroactive to December 4th. The length of Woll's absence remains uncertain, and if he is out for an extended period, the Maple Leafs may explore acquiring a veteran goalie.
