Joseph Woll has long been groomed to be the Maple Leafs’ goaltender of the future. Now, due to Ilya Samsonov's injury, he’s the goalie of the present. Sportsnet caught up with the netminder on the day before the playoffs began. (lukefoxjukebox)
Woll has composed himself well in a season that has seen him put up gaudy numbers at the AHL level and look perfectly in place during his sporadic callups to the show.
We caught up with the goalie for a chat in the Leafs dressing room the day before the playoffs began, with him on the bench. Here is that conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity. Ilya Samsonov is the starter. But what does this mean for you, being involved in the Stanley Cup playoffs? It’s pretty awesome. These past couple days, it’s really settled in. Driving to the rink thinking, It’s pretty sweet. Like you said, it’s his net. My goal is to stay as ready as I can.
It’s a really good question, actually. I feel very welcomed. So, I do feel very much a part of the team. With all that’s gone on over the past few months, it’s been hard. But I’ve been trying to stay where I’m at. So, if I’m here, I try my best to let myself be a Maple Leaf and not focus too much on the Marlies. And when I’m with the Marlies, I’m trying to really be there and not focus too much on the Leafs. So, I think these past few weeks have been good.
Just knowing that they’re committed to me for a long term, and I’m committed to being here for long term, I think it says a lot about how I feel and how they feel on the other side of it. So, it just allows me to do as well as I can every day. I don’t have to think too much, worry too much about next year or whatnot. Like, I can really just go out, stay in the moment, and give my best every day. Which, the way my mind works, is awesome.
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