Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reveals return date for Leafs' Joseph Woll

Last Thursday, to the surprise of many, Dennis Hildeby led the Leafs onto the ice to begin the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes. Shortly thereafter, Joseph Woll was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a lower-body injury.

Without Woll and Anthony Stolarz, who has yet to resume skating since being injured on November 11th against the Boston Bruins, the Leafs have had to rely on 24-year-old Hildeby to provide a stabilizing presence in goal.

The 2022 fourth-round pick has not disappointed. In fact, he has excelled being thrust into the starter's role. Since his November 29th start against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hildeby is 2-0-2 and has posted a ridiculous .964 save percentage over his last five appearances.

His play may have put the Leafs in a precarious position next season, with Stolarz and Woll signed and him being ineligible for waivers. If the club is unable to move Stolarz, they may be forced to carry three goaltenders, but that decision is a ways away.

Woll has been skating, taking shots from teammates the past two days ahead of practice. Initially, head coach Craig Berube noted that Woll would likely be out for a week.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman all but confirmed Berube's initial timeline with a late-night written edition of '32 Thoughts' following the Leafs' overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Prior to his injury, Woll had been a force between the pipes for the Leafs, posting a .924 save percentage through his first seven games. How the Leafs handle his workload when he returns will be faced with scrutiny, particularly now that Hildeby has established himself as a reliable starter.