Toronto Maple Leafs

Who Should Be the Maple Leafs’ Backup Goalie?

With the signing of Martin Jones yesterday, have things changed with the Toronto Maple Leafs? Who should be the team’s backup goalie?

by
Old Prof
August 11, 2023

As the Toronto Maple Leafs were gearing up for the 2023-24 season, there was a surprising signing. New GM Brad Treliving brought on Martin Jones to compete for the backup goalie’s job.

Perhaps it was just as an insurance policy; however, it seems reasonable to ask – particularly in light of Treliving’s comments about young goalies – if he believes Jones should be the team’s backup goalie.

That would displace Woll in the position.

Granted, it was a decent contract for an experienced goalie – at one year and $875,000. However, what really is the deal here? In this post, I’ll explore the options the team now has for this important position.

Choice #1: Joseph Woll Is the Rookie Contender

Joseph Woll has, over two seasons, built a small but impressive regular-season record of nine wins and two losses. He’s certainly not lacking in potential. His 2.38 goals-against average and .924 save percentage show his solid performance, even in a small sample size. In addition, his playoff appearances last season demonstrated his ability to step up under pressure. He was solid and could not be blamed for the losses.

#Leafs add Martin Jones. A third goalie option behind Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll.

Last time Toronto added a former Sharks goalie as a third option, they lost him on waivers. Could it happen again? ⤵️https://t.co/OKXPfi4VT1
— David Alter (@dalter) August 9, 2023

In an ideal scenario, Woll could be the natural choice to back up Samsonov. However, is it possible that he’d benefit from or need more experience and consistent playing time? If so, Woll might benefit from spending some time in the minors to further develop his skills.

The problem is that there’s likely no way the team could get him to the AHL. It would be silly to not believe he’d become a target for another team who’d believe more firmly that he’s ready for prime time NHL action.

Choice #2: Martin Jones the Veteran Presence

Or, does the seasoned Jones offer a better bet as the Maple Leafs backup goalie? Is his wealth of experience of greater benefit to the Maple Leafs roster? Although his recent performance might not have been great, Jones’s career record and previous successes suggest that he will bounce back to his former form.

That would be especially true with a strong team like the Maple Leafs. Despite his poor save percentage in recent years, with a good team playing in front of him, he’s likely to recapture his earlier prowess.

Given his history of NHL success, would Jones be the better go-to option? Yet, the question is whether he can regain the level of play that made him an attractive signing for the team.

The Dilemma of Direction

Ultimately, the decision between Woll and Jones boils down to a number of factors. What is the team’s direction? Does the Maple Leafs’ management trust Woll to be competent? Or, is Woll the default choice because if that decision is NOT made the team will lose him to waivers and another team?

Choosing to believe that Radko Gudus didn’t sign with the Leafs because he didn’t want to have to apologize to Joseph Woll pic.twitter.com/VrCmtDSCdG
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) August 3, 2023

Are the Maple Leafs working to build its goalie depth chart? If so, Woll would be the answer. If they want to compete for a championship this season, does that change things? And, if it does, does Jones’ experience and potential for a bounceback season make him a better choice?

The Bottom Line

Choosing between Jones and Woll as the Maple Leafs’ backup goalie isn’t a tough decision from my perspective. I believe the bottom line is that the Maple Leafs could never pass him through waivers and would be foolish to try.

At the same time, the team cannot carry three goalies on the roster. There’s just no salary-cap space to do that. I simply don’t think there’s any choice other than – if one goalie has to hit the waiver wire, that goalie would be Jones. He’s the only goalie of the three – seasoned veteran or not – who would have a chance of passing through.

While the Maple Leafs goalie situation might be an interesting one to watch in the upcoming season, I have to believe the team really has no choice in what they’d decide.

Woll is the team’s backup goalie this season; if not, he’s going to be the starter. He won’t play in the AHL at all.