Analyst Makes Horrible Call on Joseph Woll Trade Idea
If you’ve been following the Toronto Maple Leafs lately, you know how quickly a trade can come back to bite. Just think Fraser Minten. The youngster gets shipped to Boston, and now he’s the Bruins rookie of the month, looking like a middle-six dynamo with smarts, speed, and that sort of ice IQ that makes everything click. Suddenly, a trade that seemed minor looks like it could be one of the Maple Leafs’ worst in a decade. Fans aren’t about to forget that one anytime soon.
Bryan Hayes Doesn’t See Superstardom in Woll’s Future.
Bryan Hayes of TSN’s OverDrive shared his thoughts on the dilemma when asked whether he sees any scenario in which Woll is the goalie who gets moved out of Toronto when all is said and done.
“No, I would put him on the table, possibly too. I mean, it would depend on what the best package is you’re getting back. Because I think Woll is just a good goalie, and that’s what he’s going to be. A good goalie that starts maybe 40 games, and is going to have some ups and downs — and that’s what he is. He’s a good goalie in the league. But I don’t see superstardom in his future.”
After the Minten Trade, Floating the Idea of Trading Woll Seems Silly.
Which is why you have to blink when someone like Hayes floats the idea of trading Woll. Yeah, Woll’s had a season with ups and downs, but let’s not forget the context. He’s a 27-year-old goalie who’s spent more than his fair share of games carrying a team that isn’t exactly a fortress in front of him. Over the last stretch, Woll’s numbers have been uneven—5-3-3 since the calendar flipped with a 3.36 GAA and .896 save percentage. That said, he’s also pulled off jaw-dropping stops that kept the Leafs competitive when the defence was giving him little to work with.
Monday night against Calgary, Woll faced 30 shots and let in two. However, he made several incredible saves to keep Toronto in the hunt. This is a guy who can steal a game when the team is struggling, and in a season where every point matters, that’s huge. Woll has gone through the rollercoaster this year—blown leads, lopsided losses, rough stretches—but he’s never quit. He’s been learning, adjusting, and proving that his value isn’t just in the stats sheet. And, he never complains or calls out his teammates. Something about that doesn’t work for me, as common as that’s become.
Trading Woll Could Be Just Like Trading Minten.
Trading Woll now would feel eerily like Minten all over again. A player who’s quietly developing into something the Maple Leafs can lean on, and just as he’s finding his groove, you move him out. Fans could remember the sting of losing Minten for a long time. So why would the team risk the same mistake twice? Woll has earned the chance to keep building, to keep showing why he belongs in this net, and why he’s worth sticking with through the highs and lows.
The bottom line: Woll hasn’t been perfect, and he’s had some rough games. But he’s also the kind of steadying presence a team needs in the middle of a playoff push, a guy who can handle pressure, and one who’s already proven he can bail you out when things get messy. The Maple Leafs should treat him like a valuable keeper, because repeating the Minten mistake is the last thing anyone wants.