Confirmed with Link: Leafs acquire Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson, 2026 3rd for Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit

[Gallagbi]

Woll had a really bad end of the year (.825 save percentage in April) and an even worse World Championships (.761 in 3 games) - which is likely where it's referencing the modest upgrade. He seemed to be on a trajectory downwards.

The Leafs have younger goalies in the system they'd rather give a shot to - like Hildeby, who outplayed Woll last season.

I think you're combining some various thoughts

I've said moving Woll is smart with our log jam and he's the guy I would have parted with. I do think his play and career is VASTLY superior to the G we acquired in that trade and a down month doesn't change that. So the trade comparison and clear win becomes highly questionable if they consider them equivalent pieces.

As for value, I would have liked a little more in the quantity or quality of picks area. Upgrade the 3rd to something like a 2nd and a 4th, maybe add a condition if needed for Woll's performance or health

 

[Tak7]

They're not leveraging teams for help running 3 goalies. Teams are going to leverage the fact Toronto is stuck carrying 3 goalies to an even worse offer.

It is when you consider he had similar numbers to Skinner when he was traded - with a higher cap hit, more injury prone, and older.

Skinner basically returned negative value.

Yeah, that's not the way it works - especially if you need to use all 3 goalies due to the health of Stolarz?

He clearly has more value than a Stu Skinner, so it's a silly comparison to begin with.

 

[Divine]

Yeah, that's not the way it works - especially if you need to use all 3 goalies due to the health of Stolarz?

He clearly has more value than a Stu Skinner, so it's a silly comparison to begin with.

I think you think he has more value. The stats suggest that Stuart Skinner should be the one with more value.

Woll was a .906 vs Skinner .904 career but Skinner was the cheaper, more experienced (double the GP), more durable goalie who just went to back to back Finals.

Woll was put into the Boston series and got himself injured in his second game attempting to make a save with no one around him forcing the team to go back to the goalie he was pulled for.

Woll is no longer a young goalie. He's now a 4M dollar injury prone goalie that a team needs to bet stays healthy and plays better - that's not overly valuable.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I think you think he has more value. The stats suggest that Stuart Skinner should be the one with more value.

Woll was a .906 vs Skinner .904 career but Skinner was the cheaper, more experienced (double the GP), more durable goalie who just went to back to back Finals.

Woll was put into the Boston series and got himself injured in his second game attempting to make a save with no one around him forcing the team to go back to the goalie he was pulled for.

Woll is no longer a young goalie. He's now a 4M dollar injury prone goalie that a team needs to bet stays healthy and plays better - that's not overly valuable.

It’s not just the physical injuries but the possible mental health problems and god awful performance at the world championships that hastened his exit out the door. He hasn’t proven himself as a big game goalie.

Meanwhile AA and Hildeby are killing it.

Trading him for a 3rd and a top 5 D man is a decent return.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I think the challenge with this trade is that the focus is on "Trading Woll"; versus what you're actually trying to achieve.

The Leafs did not actually need to trade Woll. While yes, it was an area of surplus, an area they could afford to trade from, they could have also waited till the start of the season, see if they have 3 healthy goalies, maybe start the year with 3, and wait for somebody to lose a goalie to injury.

The Leafs have a shopping list for this summer that is not insignifcant. They absolutely need another centre. They need a top 6 winger, and they need to rebuild their blueline with at least 1 top 4 defenceman.

While yes, Andrae is a defenceman, I don't get the sense that he's a top 4 guy. The focus needed to be on getting somebody that can be a competent top 4 guy.

You're not getting a top 4 defenseman for Woll straight up.

That's what the cap space savings will be used towards. You're so focused on losing Woll you haven't realized what they have gained. A significant amount of cap space that can be better utilized than having a third goalie sitting on the bench every game.

They need to pay for that other centre, top 6 winger and rebuilt blueline with at least 1 top 4 defenceman somehow.

 

[The Masters]

 

[Dekes For Days]

Pretty underwhelming return, and would have much preferred trading Stolarz... At least we got rid of Benoit, so an instant upgrade there.

 

[The Masters]

x

 

[therealkoho]

Couple things
Tough to say goodbye to Joe, when he was in he was on and put up good numbers. The problem was his availability, the start of last season, hurt his credibility with management. I know it was a medical reason that caused his absence, but it could be a recurring thing. He's had these mystery absences previously what if he had another going into the playoffs?

Emil Andrae is not as big as you might want, but he's got some pluses. He's got a boomer from the point, he skates really well, not a speed merchant but agile, hes not a big hitter but he does get involved, he's 24 and he's a Swede, Toronto has had some luck with that in the past and OEM can help integrate him.

Who knows?

 

[Buckley]

Pretty underwhelming return, and would have much preferred trading Stolarz... At least we got rid of Benoit, so an instant upgrade there.

I'm not sure that Stolarz is traceable at this point with the injuries and the contract.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

The Leafs have younger goalies in the system they'd rather give a shot to - like Hildeby, who outplayed Woll last season.

But isn’t the time to trade a goalie when a goalie gets injured early in the season ? A Bubble team down a goalie will overpay

 

[Dekes For Days]

I'm not sure that Stolarz is traceable at this point with the injuries and the contract.

You're not getting a good return, and Treliving was stupid to sign him to that, but he should have been tradeable.

 

[mydnyte]

is Woll even 1/2 the goalie Logan Thompson is?
they were traded at the same age and Vegas got 2x3rds for him.
if Andrae plays a regular shift, this is a much better return than Vegas got on a much better goalie (was hoping we'd offer on him when he was made available).

​

 

[mydnyte]

I'm not sure that Stolarz is traceable at this point with the injuries and the contract.

when Healthy, he is much better than Woll at his best. ...the issue is the when healthy part.

 

[seanlinden]

You're not getting a top 4 defenseman for Woll straight up.

That's what the cap space savings will be used towards. You're so focused on losing Woll you haven't realized what they have gained. A significant amount of cap space that can be better utilized than having a third goalie sitting on the bench every game.

They need to pay for that other centre, top 6 winger and rebuilt blueline with at least 1 top 4 defenceman somehow.

Of course not... you use Woll as part of a package.

The Leafs gained a significant amount of cap space when they "traded" Marner for Nic Roy; they then proceeded to waste basically all of it (and some draft picks) on Dakota Joshua, Mattias Maccelli, and hanging onto David Kampf/Calle Jarnkrok.

The Leafs already had a significant amount of cap space before this Woll deal, they need talent; and the UFA pool is VERY thin; so you need pieces to trade that can make other teams better. There's upwards of 10 teams that would greatly benefit from a guy like Joseph Woll in their 1B spot.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

and the UFA pool is VERY thin

And teams have a lot of cap space

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Of course not... you use Woll as part of a package.

The Leafs gained a significant amount of cap space when they "traded" Marner for Nic Roy; they then proceeded to waste basically all of it (and some draft picks) on Dakota Joshua, Mattias Maccelli, and hanging onto David Kampf/Calle Jarnkrok.

The Leafs already had a significant amount of cap space before this Woll deal, they need talent; and the UFA pool is VERY thin; so you need pieces to trade that can make other teams better. There's upwards of 10 teams that would greatly benefit from a guy like Joseph Woll in their 1B spot.

That's why I said "assuming Chayka doesn't waste the cap space..."

You seem to think Woll is worth a lot more than he is. Throwing him in on a deal isn't gonna be the difference between getting a top 4 defenseman or not. He was never gonna be the main piece in any trade for anything other than a mid-range pick which is exactly what they got for him.

And even with all that cap space they have it still goes quick when your needs include a centre, a top 6 winger, and a rebuilt blueline with at least 1 top 4 defenceman.

 

[Tak7]

I think you think he has more value. The stats suggest that Stuart Skinner should be the one with more value.

Woll was a .906 vs Skinner .904 career but Skinner was the cheaper, more experienced (double the GP), more durable goalie who just went to back to back Finals.

Woll was put into the Boston series and got himself injured in his second game attempting to make a save with no one around him forcing the team to go back to the goalie he was pulled for.

Woll is no longer a young goalie. He's now a 4M dollar injury prone goalie that a team needs to bet stays healthy and plays better - that's not overly valuable.

He does have more value than Stuart Skinner - it's not a debate.

Most of the games he missed last season were early, and weren't injury related at all. He also, twice, produced his longest stretch of uninterrupted play last year, giving suggestion that his injury situation is improving.

27 is still very young for a goaltender. On a very good deal, and realistically, your most sure fire bet for a long term starter.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Perhaps this is step #1 setting up a much bigger move, or at least I hope so.

Both Leaf players were under contract

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While both Flyers are currently RFAs

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So that frees up $5 mil in cap space for the Leafs.

Also the 3rd round pick in next weeks draft might be earmarked for a player the Leafs scouts really like.

So maybe Leafs management in playing 3D Chess making an early sacrifice to reset the board a little setting up a more beneficial move still to come.

Barring having to meet an offer sheet, we can get a younger and (apparently) better defenceman who more closely meets our needs, for about $1M, while helping to clear the logjam in net. Plus the pick.

It's nothing spectacular, but I don't see the doom and gloom from some posters.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Most people who looked past the height of the players seem to like the trade.

Most people who aren't already down on Chayka seem to like the trade.

 

[SuzieQ88]

Pretty underwhelming return, and would have much preferred trading Stolarz... At least we got rid of Benoit, so an instant upgrade there.

We drafted Stolarz and he is a starter which we have in Vladar. Good trade for us, Andrae is decent. So long Sammy.

 

[notbias]

Looking at Woll's numbers from 2 years ago - he was elite..

Really fearing that the Leafs gave up on this guy too early.

While I agree, Woll has potential to be elite... Stolarz was better and had a history of being better.

I'd rather they had tried to move Hildeby to be honest, but moving Woll over Stolarz is likely the better bet if that was the choice.

 

[Tak7]

While I agree, Woll has potential to be elite... Stolarz was better and had a history of being better.

I'd rather they had tried to move Hildeby to be honest, but moving Woll over Stolarz is likely the better bet if that was the choice.

Stolarz has a longer, deeper history of injury.

He's 32, and has only managed 168 starts - his body has always let him down, so much so, that the Leafs tried massively to factor LTIR buriable money into his contract negotiation. Even his own team didn't believe he could stay healthy long term.

I don't think Stolarz was the right bet.

I agree with you on Hildeby - would have ran with 3 goalies into camp, and then tried to leverage your strengths to a team desperate for goaltending help early in the year.

 

[IronHookem]

But isn’t the time to trade a goalie when a goalie gets injured early in the season ? A Bubble team down a goalie will overpay

Thats a big risk to take no? What if Woll or Stolarz gets injured for a couple of weeks early in the season? You risk losing Hildeby or Woll for nothing when its time to send one of them down.

 

[seanlinden]

That's why I said "assuming Chayka doesn't waste the cap space..."

You seem to think Woll is worth a lot more than he is. Throwing him in on a deal isn't gonna be the difference between getting a top 4 defenseman or not. He was never gonna be the main piece in any trade for anything other than a mid-range pick which is exactly what they got for him.

And even with all that cap space they have it still goes quick when your needs include a centre, a top 6 winger, and a rebuilt blueline with at least 1 top 4 defenceman.

Maybe... we don't really know how much they value Andrae.

What I do know, is that basically every team in the league has some form of tandem these days, and spending $3.5m on the back half of that tandem is a non-issue for most given how much cap space is universally available.

In the East, Woll would be a very welcome addition to Detroit, Florida, Ottawa, Tampa, maybe New Jersey, Islanders, Rangers, Philly or Pittsburgh.

In the West, Chicago, maybe Dallas, Utah, Winnipeg, Anaheim or Edmonton are a similar story.

Thats a lot of teams to try and get somebody who gives you a bit more than Emil Andrae from.