The Toronto Maple Leafs have returned a pair of players to the minor leagues, sending Alex Steeves and Joseph Woll back to the AHL. Woll’s departure suggests that Ilya Samsonov, whose wife is due to give birth, will be available to start tonight against the New York Islanders.
Woll, 24, is having the best season of his professional career, with a .928 save percentage in 18 appearances with the Toronto Marlies and a .938 in three games with the Maple Leafs. The young netminder has battled through several injuries in the early part of his career, but appears to be turning the corning—at least on the performance side of things—and living up to his billing as a top goaltending prospect.
Steeves, meanwhile, is in his second pro season after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, and has 17 goals and 45 points in 55 games for the Marlies. That is nearly the exactly same pace as last season, but it has yet to result in consistent NHL playing time. Through six career games, three of which have come this season, Steeves has yet to score a goal with the Maple Leafs.