Leafs’ Scott Laughton to make season debut against Mammoth; Woll’s return ‘getting close’
The Toronto Maple Leafs will get a boost to their lineup Wednesday night.
Scott Laughton is expected to make his 2025-26 regular-season debut against the Utah Mammoth, more than a month after likely suffering a lower-body injury during a preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Laughton told Sportsnet NHL writer Luke Fox Wednesday morning there may be some nerves ahead of the game.
“I’m gonna have that nervous energy. And I think it’s a good thing,” Laughton said.
Scott Laughton makes his season debut tonight: “I'm gonna have that nervous energy. And I think it's a good thing.”
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) November 5, 2025
Leafs head coach Craig Berube also told reporters on Wednesday that goaltender Joseph Woll may return sooner than later.
“It’s getting close,” Berube said, according to TSN reporter Mark Masters. “I don’t want to give you a timeline and then it’s changed, but I can just say this: he’s in a real good spot.”
How close is Joseph Woll to game action?
Craig Berube: "Its getting close. I don't want to give you a timeline & then it's changed, but I can just say this: he's in a real good spot"@TSN_Sports
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 5, 2025
Laughton, 31, is entering his 13th NHL season, spending the first 12 and change with the Philadelphia Flyers. In 681 career games, the Oakville, Ont., native has 108 goals and 161 assists for 269 points.
He was acquired by the Leafs in a trade with the Flyers ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, with Toronto sending a conditional first-round pick in 2027, along with prospect Nikita Grebenkin, to Philadelphia in exchange for Laughton, as well as a fourth- and sixth-round pick.
Meanwhile, Woll, a native of Dardenne Prairie, Mo., was placed on long-term injured reserve on Oct. 24, exactly one month after the team announced he would be taking a leave of absence to address a personal matter.
The 27-year-old appeared in 42 games during the 2024-25 season, posting a 27-14-1 record with a .909 save percentage (SV%) and 2.73 goals against average (GAA) with one shutout. In seven playoff games, Woll went 3-4 with an .886 SV% and 3.56 GAA in seven games.
Through four NHL seasons, Woll, a 2016 third-round pick, is 48-27-2 with a .910 SV% and 2.74 GAA in 78 career games. In 14 career Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, he’s 6-6 with a .906 SV% and 2.73 GAA.
In July 2024, the Leafs signed Woll to a three-year contract extension, paying him an annual average value (AAV) of $3.66 million through the 2027-28 season.
The Leafs are 7-5-1 with 15 points through their first 13 games. William Nylander leads the team in points with 18 (five goals and 13 assists), while Auston Matthews has a team-leading seven goals through 13 games.