October in the NHL is usually a time for feeling out chemistry and shaking off summer rust. But in the Atlantic Division, you can’t afford a slow start. The margin for error is simply too thin. This autumn, the Toronto Maple Leafs are navigating the early-season grind with a goaltending strategy that is turning heads and, more importantly, securing crucial points.
Instead of riding a single clear-cut starter, head coach Craig Berube has committed to a strict platoon system. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz are splitting the net almost right down the middle. It is a calculated gamble. In Toronto, where goaltending drama often dominates talk radio, this quiet, systematic approach is keeping the team remarkably stable.
A Balanced Workload Yielding Big Results
Eleven games into the 2026-27 campaign, the results speak for themselves. The Leafs sit second in the Atlantic Division with a 7-3-1 record, snapping at the heels of the division-leading Florida Panthers. This early success stems directly from the crease.
Woll has started six games, while Stolarz has taken the net for five. The goalie controversy that many analysts predicted simply has not materialized. Instead, the two netminders are feeding off each other’s success. Woll boasts a .918 save percentage and a 2.41 goals-against average. Stolarz is right behind him, carrying a .914 save percentage and a steadying presence that has calmed a defense still adjusting to Berube’s heavy, physical system.
The plan is simple. Keep both players healthy. Keep both players hungry.
Surviving the Atlantic Division Gauntlet
The Atlantic Division remains a brutal place to play. Florida is as relentless as ever. Tampa Bay refuses to fade. Boston is always a tough out, and the young Detroit Red Wings are finally pushing for a permanent playoff spot. In this environment, dropping three or four games in a row in October can leave a team chasing the playoff pack for the rest of the winter.
Toronto’s coaching staff recognized this danger early. By keeping both goalies fresh, the Leafs have avoided the second-night-of-back-to-back slumps that plagued them in previous seasons. When Woll played a grueling overtime match against Montreal, Stolarz was rested and ready to shut down Boston forty-eight hours later. It is a luxury few teams in the division currently enjoy.
“We aren’t looking at who is number one or number two right now,” Berube told reporters after a recent practice at Ford Performance Centre. “We have two guys who can win us hockey games on any given night. As long as they both play at this level, we will keep using them. It keeps the energy high in our locker room.”
Overcoming the Injury Bug
History suggests that goaltending depth is always tested in Toronto. Woll has struggled with durability throughout his young career, missed stretches of crucial games due to various lower-body issues. This rotation serves as a protective shield.
By capping consecutive starts, the medical staff hopes to mitigate the wear and tear that typically catches up to Woll by mid-winter. For Stolarz, who has spent much of his career as a highly dependable backup, the steady stream of starts keeps him in a competitive rhythm. He is not sitting on the bench for two weeks getting cold.
“It is great for both of us,” Woll said. “We talk every day about the shooters we are facing. There is no ego here. When Anthony plays well, it pushes me to do the same. We just want to give the guys in front of us a chance to win.”
Looking Ahead to the Winter Grind
Whether this platoon can survive the dog days of January and February remains to be seen. Eventually, one goalie usually hot-streaks their way into a primary role, or injuries force the coaching staff’s hand. The pressure of the Toronto market also has a way of magnifying even the smallest slump.
For now, though, the Maple Leafs have found a formula that works. They are playing disciplined, structured hockey, confident that whoever stands between the pipes will make the saves necessary to win. In a division where every single point in October feels like a playoff battle, Toronto’s quiet crease might just be their biggest advantage.