One area that historically in modern terms has not been a position of strength for the Toronto Maple Leafs is goaltending. This has often become apparent in crucial playoff series when the team has needed a consistent starter they can rely on.
That has finally changed based on this past season. The Leafs now boast one of the top goalie tandems in the NHL with the Anthony Stolarz-Joseph Woll connection tending the crease.
The hockey world is acknowledging this reality by giving the Leafs their flowers. The Stolarz-Woll tandem was recently ranked near the top of the league in Bleacher Report's latest goalie ranking list.
Where did the Maple Leafs goalie tandem rank?
The Leafs goalie tandem came in 3rd on the 32 team list, only placing behind the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. This is the highest a Maple Leafs goalie tandem has ranked on a list of this nature in recent memory.
This is thanks to Stolarz proving himself as one of the most underrated keepers in the league last season, having been signed last summer. Stolarz had previously been a backup on the 2024 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. He had an opportunity to face off against his former team this past postseason, but went down with an injury.
Joseph Woll has also established himself as an important part of this equation as the Leafs goalie of the future. The 27 year old netminder came on strong in his first full season with the big club, so much so the club could trust him in the net come playoff time as he filled in for an injured Stalarz.
What was once a major weakness for Toronto will now be now be one of their most relied upon areas moving forward if the organization is to return Lord Stanley to Toronto for the first time since 1967.