Maple Leafs Fans Might Want to See How Joseph Woll Is Doing

Some former Toronto Maple Leafs players you forget about pretty quickly. Joseph Woll isn't one of them. Maybe that's because Woll was never just another goalie who came through Toronto. There was something about him.

For many Maple Leafs fans, it was very hard not to like Joseph Woll.

He was quiet and thoughtful. He played piano. He took solo hikes through the Alps just because. He was well-spoken and seemed genuinely interested in things beyond hockey. A little bit of a loner, perhaps, but also somehow very personable.

And Toronto fans seemed to notice. A lot of them didn't want to see him leave. But he did leave, and now Woll is in Philadelphia, and I have to admit I've been wondering how he's doing. So far, the answer is pretty encouraging.

Woll has played twice for the Flyers this season. Both games went to overtime. Both ended in losses. But Woll stopped 78 of 84 shots for a .929 save percentage. Against New Jersey, he stopped 41 of 44. Against Carolina, he stopped 37 of 40.

Woll faced a ton of rubber, without getting lit up.

The problem is that the Philadelphia Flyers aren't giving him much help in the win column. Philadelphia is 0-2-2 to start the season, and the Flyers have scored only five goals through four games. So Woll has done his part, but he's still waiting for the other half of the equation. And that, strangely enough, makes me think about Toronto.

Woll left the Maple Leafs after a difficult 2025-26 season in which he went 15-16-7 with an .899 save percentage. Toronto's team defence was a mess at times, so it was difficult to know exactly what to make of his numbers.

Now he's getting a fresh start. And maybe that's what Woll needed. The Flyers acquired him in June expecting him to share the crease with Dan Vladar. It wasn't a declaration that Woll would be their franchise goalie. It was an opportunity.

So far, so good for Woll. For Vladar, not so much.

I've always found Woll an interesting hockey character. He never seemed like the typical athlete who needed to be the centre of attention. Something about him was a little different. Maybe that's why so many Toronto fans took to him. We get attached to players for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it's the goals. Sometimes it's the saves. And sometimes it's because we just like the person.

So, no, I'm not suggesting the Maple Leafs should have kept Joseph Woll. I'm not even suggesting that he's going to become Philadelphia's No. 1 goalie. I'm just saying that if you're a Toronto fan who wondered what happened to that thoughtful kid who played goalie for the Maple Leafs, it might be worth checking in.

Woll is still there. He's just wearing a different jersey.