Maple Leafs Analyst Destroys Joseph Woll: "Are you kidding me?..Buddy, Just play!"

2 months ago  /  NHL Trade Rumors

It's safe to say that backup goalie Anthony Stolarz debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night was the biggest bright spot on the team. He was tremendous as he turned away 26 of 27 shots. But his performance only highlighted one of the biggest disappointments of opening night for the Leafs: The absence—once again—of starting netminder Joseph Woll. He pulled out on the morning of the game, complaining of "tightness" and has been put on the IR. This is a repeat of the last—and much more critical—game the Maple Leafs played, when he shockingly couldn't play in Game 7 of their playoff series defeat last spring to the Boston Bruins. Leafs analyst Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet doesn't like it. Not one bit. On the Kyper & Bourne radio show, he was outraged, saying the whole thing "absolutely stinks." Are you kidding me? I'd be going ballistic right now (if I was a member of the Leafs)... This isn't just another player with a minor tweak. This is your new No. 1, $10M over three years goalie... If I had one limb hanging on a string, after what I put the team through in that Game 7, I'm playing (opening night). You wake up and tell the trainer, 'I'm feeling a little stiff'? Well, guess what? Too bad! Just play... Buddy, just play! The way this thing went down again, absolutely stinks. Kypreos's podcast partner Justin Bourne echoed his sentiments."The number one thing you want with your starting goalie is availability. A guy to count on... He's your guy. And it's Game One, fellas!" This summer, Woll was handed a three-year, $3.67 million extension. It was a risky move, as Woll has had the reputation of being hurt often. He was able to play in just 25 games last season, after missing more than two months because of a high ankle sprain. And then there was the Game 7 debacle.The final word goes to Kypreos once again:"There is this thing that the goalies need to have, above any other player and any other position on a hockey club. And that is the trust of your teammates. And I think that is gone right now."Photo: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images  ...

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