this spell of good play is eerily similar to when Soupy emerged as the guy ahead of Freddy. What's even wilder is Sammy's play of late is also eerily similar to how Freddy was playing in his final year as a bud as well. Consistently not coming up with a save when you need it and struggling to track the play.
We all know how Soupy faired for us in the end. Solid but fragile mentally. I really hope Joe can emerge as the guy for years to come. It has been a very long time since we have had stability in between the pipes. Not since the early years of Fred, and before that Eddy.
Woll's recent run of play this past couple years has been nothing short of amazing TBH. He's 9-2-0 in his 11 GP since rejoining the buds last season all while posting a ludicrous combined .942 SV% in those 11 games. But it is still a very small sample size all things considered and I am trying to keep that all in perspective.
That said, I love this kid. He has the pedigree, He has the size, he has the skillset, he has the positioning, he has the athleticism, and he has the battle. All of those qualities that are major indicators of a successful starting goaltender in the modern NHL. Will he have the strength in between the ears when things aren't going his way?? That is the test we have yet to see Joe face.
I am going to cautiously enjoy this level of play from Joe. He is an incredibly easy guy to cheer for. He's earned everything he's got, and he just seems like a genuine dude. I really would love to see him become our guy for years and years to come.