TORONTO — Telling, isnâ€t it, that the Toronto Maple Leaf most enthusiastic about the return of Joseph Woll is the man who plays the same position.
“It was awesome. Just seeing his infectious smile,†said Anthony Stolarz, following Wollâ€s first practice with the team in more than a month.
“For me, just seeing him back of the net, we were just talking how we miss our goalie hugs.â€
Takes two to hug. Just as it takes two to give the Maple Leafs confidence in their crease.
As evidenced by the size of the ice bags wrapped around Stolarzâ€s surgically repaired knees after Fridayâ€s loss in Buffalo — enough to fill a Coleman — the 1A canâ€t welcome his 1B soon enough.
“Heâ€s a great human being. Heâ€s somebody whoâ€s been around this group a long time, and somebody who Iâ€m friends with very closely,†Stolarz said.
“Just to get him back, for us, could be a huge spark. Could give us a little energy.â€
Stolarzâ€s energy is lower than usual, his own coach said, as he readies to make his eighth start Tuesday in his clubâ€s first 10 games.
The 31-year-old has never had such a hectic start to the season. To ease the mental burden, the Leafs recalled Dennis Hildeby to back up Saturday, giving Stolarz a full night off to stretch, relax and just watch.
And while much credit is due to waiver pickup Cayden Primeau (two wins in two starts, both in back-to-backs), this roster depends on tandem goaltending to thrive.
Last year, Torontoâ€s goalies had the leagueâ€s fourth-best save percentage (.905); they have sunk to 27th (.873) this season.
That doesnâ€t mean Stolarz and Primeau are to blame. After all, the skaters in front of them are handing out Grade-As easier than a gym teacher.
But it does means that Wollâ€s return to action is critical — and must be handled with care.
“Awesome having him back,†Morgan Rielly said. “I mean, you want to support everyone. Over the course of a career a long season, we all go through things. In terms of playing a team sport, you want to be there for each other. So, this is a good opportunity for everyone to rally.â€
Woll, 27, took practice reps as Torontoâ€s third goalie Monday but was not made available to reporters. Absent since training camp while he dealt with a personal matter, Woll wonâ€t speak publicly until he is “comfortable†doing so, Brad Treliving said.
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According to the general manager, Wollâ€s conditioning is “fabulous.†He has been hitting the ice roughly every other day over the past two weeks while he was away from his teammates and has now had a couple days on the ice with Leafs staff.
An AHL conditioning stint with the Marlies will likely precede NHL action next month.
“I do have a date circled, but weâ€ll have to see what it is,†said Treliving, careful not to announce a deadline in case itâ€s missed.
“Weâ€re not going to rush it. Itâ€ll happen when heâ€s ready to go.â€
Stolarz was optimistic: “Heâ€s a true pro, so I donâ€t think itâ€ll take him much time at all.â€
All the talk Monday was that Woll needs time to get his reads back. He needs NHL practice reps and work dealing with net-front traffic and cross-crease plays.
There is also a mental side to sports, too, and Wollâ€s mind must be in a positive place before he starts a big-league game instead of Stolarz.
“(NHL players) deal with the same things we all deal with, right? It gets magnified because of the line of work theyâ€re in. Thereâ€s more coverage of it,†Treliving said.
“Iâ€m proud of how the organization has supported Joe, and we will for every player.â€
Ticked-off McCabe is the best McCabe
Berube credited the Leafs†“pissed off†attitude for fuelling Saturdayâ€s 4-3 slump-busting comeback win over the Sabres.
“Lost three in a row. Thatâ€s probably why,†Berube replied, before breaking into a devilish grin.
“If I lost three in a row and I was playing, I guarantee ya I woulda in got into two fights.â€
Ex-Sabre Jake McCabe put together his best two games of the season over the weekend, even without trusted partner Chris Tanev.
He blocked 11 shots, threw five hits, gathered an assist and — best of all — crushed Bowen Byram in open ice, then dummied challenger Alex Tuch with one punch.
“My record against Buffalo hasnâ€t been too great since I left them, so I was eager for two points,†said McCabe, summoning more emotion in one sequence than some of his teammates have all year.
“I think itâ€s been a little lacking here this first little while. Iâ€m certainly guilty of it, too, through the first five, six games,†McCabe said. “At the beginning of the year, sometimes you kind of dip your toe in the water rather than jump full in. Made it a mission here the last couple of nights to bring that side of my game out a little bit more, â€cause Iâ€ve certainly played better — and I know my teammates feed off it.â€
Nick Robertson agreed: “We need that energy.â€
So did Dakota Joshua: “Nice to see when someone can step up and do it all.â€
Joshua has skated for six seasons and three organizations of varying quality.
How does the power forward gauge the emotional level of these Leafs through nine games?
“Good, tough question. I mean, yeah, maybe thereâ€s a little bit of waiting early on for somebody to do something that swings the momentum or the confidence in the team. It’s just hard to put your finger on what exactly that looks like and how that comes to form,†Joshua said.
“Like Jake the other night — very organic situation that found its way to him, and he was able to contribute and give our team a boost for the night. So, itâ€s got to be different guys every night stepping up. Whether itâ€s a blocked shot or a big hit or a fight that turns the tide.â€
Does the emotional tipping point need to be organic? Or can you force it?
“It doesnâ€t have to be,†Joshua said. “It just seems like when it happens that way, thatâ€s when you get the best outcome. And then other times, itâ€s tough when youâ€re searching for it and it doesn’t happen. Then youâ€re sitting there like, ‘Well, s—.†Or pissed that it didnâ€t go that way. Doesnâ€t have to be organic, but thatâ€s usually when you get the best turn.â€
Death, taxes and Nicholas Robertson finding the back of the net after a night in the press box.
Turns out, the path for the snakebitten Robertson to score his first of the season was to bench him.
Seemingly forever the Leafs†12(½)th forward, Robertson was nicknamed “Scratch â€N Score†on Leafs Talk by J.D. Bunkis and lived up to the moniker by potting his fifth goal over his past six return-to-action games.
“You guys know itâ€s not a situation that Iâ€m foreign to,†Robertson said, after pounding a puck past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Saturdayâ€s win.
“Good for my confidence.â€
Robertsonâ€s jump on the sleepy half of the home-and-home versus Buffalo was noticeable — and no doubt inspired by his temporary promotion to Auston Matthews†top line.
Robertson, who learned where heâ€d be skating just 10 minutes before puck drop, logged a season-high 14:54 and deserves to stick in the lineup even if Nylander (lower body; day to day) is good to suit up Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. Berube liked his first look at Robertson–Matthews–McMann.
“Speed,†Berube said. “A lot of speed on the wings, getting on top of people. It was a good goal by Nicky coming in off the bench and finding that hole there; they made a nice play to him. But Nickyâ€s got speed, Bobbyâ€s got speed, Matthews (has) got speed. So, itâ€s a fast line.
“They got to just play direct and do their job off in the offensive zone and make sure theyâ€re responsible defensively.â€
One-timers:Tanev (upper body) and Scott Laughton (foot) are both on the road to recovery. They hit the ice on a separate sheet with return-to-play staff. Tanev is unlikely to play this week. Laughton is planning to be on the plane to Philadelphia this weekend and may practice with the team as early as Friday.… Calle Järnkrok was absent from practice and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He took a hard shot off the foot Saturday…. John Tavares has 499 career goals. It would be sweeter to hit 500 at home than in Columbus or Philadelphia later this week.
Maple Leafs projected lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary Flames:
Robertson* – Matthews – McMann
Knies – Tavares – Maccelli
Joshua – Roy – Cowan
Lorentz – Domi – Blais*
Ekman-Larsson – Carlo
(*If Nylander plays, Robertson or Blais will get scratched.)
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