J.S. Giguere worried for Joseph Woll being Toronto Maple Leafs No. 1 goalie 

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jul 12, 2024 06:17 GMT

Former Toronto Maple Leafs and Con Smythe-winning goalie J.S Giguere has expressed concerns regarding the club's future goaltending situation, particularly highlighting Joseph Woll as the first choice in the net.

Giguere acknowledged his worries about Woll's limited experience, noting the weight of responsibility that comes with being the top goalie in Toronto (via Leafs Latest):

"I really love Woll. I like the way he plays; I think he’s definitely the goalie of the future for the Leafs. I am a little bit worried about his lack of experience. Being only 25 and the number one goalie in Toronto is a lot."

Despite these concerns, the former Conn Smythe-winning goalie emphasized his confidence in Woll's abilities:

"His technique and his size — I think he can do it. There is no doubt in my mind that he’s a good goalie."

Joseph Woll was drafted No. 62 overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL draft. He has been playing with the club for the past season, posting a 21-13-1 record in 36 games with a 2.76 GAA and a .912 SV%.

The Maple Leafs recently inked Woll to a three-year contract worth $10.98 million. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $3.66 million and is set to kick in starting from the 2025-26 season.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Stanley Cup champ goalie

Following Woll's extension, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a two-year, $5 million deal with an AAV of $2.5 million.

The netminder was Sergei Bobrovsky's backup for the Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup-winning run this year.

Stolarz posted impressive stats last season with the Panthers, going 16-7-2 with two shutouts in 27 regular-season games, including 24 starts. Notably, he led the NHL with a stellar 1.03 GAA and a remarkable .925 SV%.

Expressing his excitement after signing with the Maple Leafs, Stolarz said (via NHL.com):

"I'm super excited. It's an historic organization and I know a few of the guys on the team already so the transition will be nice. There's an opportunity I felt. In Florida, I kind of knew my role as a backup whereas here, [Joseph] Woll and I are going to be competing for starts and as a goalie, that's all you can ask for."

In the playoffs, Stolarz conceded three goals on 19 shots in one relief playoff appearance.