Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending prospect Joseph Woll will be between the pipes in the National Hockey League on Saturday when the Leafs take on the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
Woll, 23, is in his third professional season with the Leafs and was the team’s first of two third-round selections (62nd overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Beyond excited to watch client Joe Woll make his first NHL start for the @MapleLeafs tonight!
It will be a special night for Joe, Shelley, Emma, Michael, and Bob. Great family that will have the entire STL hockey community behind them. #welldeserved #dreamscometrue @brick_WOLL29 pic.twitter.com/RyIAycnlmG— Jeff Boston (@jeffbosty) November 13, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
He has a 20-24-3 record with three shutouts and an .885 save percentage in 50 career American Hockey League games with the Toronto Marlies, including a 2-1-0 record and a .895 SV% in three AHL games this season.
After Friday’s 2-1 overtime win over the Calgary Flames, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe revealed Woll would get the start for his team in Buffalo.
Joseph Woll will make his NHL debut tomorrow night in Buffalo, Sheldon Keefe announces @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 13, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Saturday’s game will carry some poetic weight for Woll, who was one of just two 2016 Leafs draft picks in attendance at Keybank Centre (where that year’s draft was held). He’ll make his NHL debut in the same arena.
The Maple Leafs selected 11 players in 2016. Woll will become the sixth to make his NHL debut, joining Auston Matthews, Egor Korshkov, Carl Grundstrom, Adam Brooks, and Keaton Middleton. Among those five players, only Matthews remains in the Leafs organization.
Woll will wear No. 60 for the Leafs in goal on Saturday. The 7-3-0 Maple Leafs will take on the 3-5-2 Sabres on Hockey Night in Canada at 7:00 p.m. ET.