The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading into the 2023-24 season with high expectations. It is understandable, as they possess a very strong roster led by Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and Morgan Rielly. However, if the Maple Leafs want to have real success this upcoming season, they will need other players to step up as well. This is the case whether they just had a down season or are prime breakout candidates. Here are three players on their current roster who stand out as wild cards.

Joseph Woll

Joseph Woll should be in a major position to make an impact for the Maple Leafs in 2023-24. The Maple Leafs are expected to move on from Matt Murray this summer, thus opening the door for Woll to be a full-time NHL netminder. The 25-year-old showed this past season that he looks ready to be in the NHL, and the real question is whether or not he will be able to build on it from here.

Woll appeared in seven regular-season games for the Maple Leafs last season, posting a 6-1-0 record, 2.16 goals-against average (GAA), and .932 save percentage (SV%). He then followed that up with a solid postseason, as his 2.43 GAA and .915 SV% effectively display. If he can keep up similar play to this with the Maple Leafs in 2023-24, he will form a strong tandem with Ilya Samsonov.

The Maple Leafs will need Woll to prove that he is ready to be an impactful NHL goaltender this season. Let’s see how the Missouri native performs from here, but there certainly is reason for optimism given his play this past season.