Joseph Woll’s breakout season came to a jarring end, but the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender is putting the past behind him and is embracing the chance to operate as true No. 1 this season.

Woll excelled last year for the Maple Leafs, with a tour-de-force performance against the Boston Bruins in Game 6, but suffered an injury in the dying seconds of the game, and could only watch as his team lost the series-deciding Game 7 in overtime.

“It was obviously not a great experience,” Woll said. “But, you know, as much as we can talk about that, honestly, I’d prefer to talk about now and put Game 7 in the past, put the years behind and let’s focus on what we got ahead.”

Woll signed a three-year extension worth $3.67 million annually and the new deal represents a true vote of confidence in his potential entering another year where it may be Stanley Cup-or-bust.

“It’s pretty awesome to know they had faith in me. I think it’s something I’m really proud of, it’s something you have to earn from staff, from players, from coaches. It’s something I have to continue to earn and I’m looking forward to this year to continue to earn that faith and that trust and just trying to do everything I can to help this team.”

Woll is projected as the starter but it may be a true tandem with Anthony Stolarz, who joins the Maple Leafs, coming off a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. Stolarz was Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup, but he excelled in a small sample and both goalies will be tasked with a greater volume of starts than they’ve ever faced before.

“I met him the first day he got here. I’ve chatted with him a little bit on the ice when we played against Florida. We had a formal introduction and he seems like a great guy, so I’m excited to get going.”

It’s a new season for the Maple Leafs and a lot of the optimism emanating from camp stems from the upside of the Woll-Stolarz tandem. Woll has every chance to pull away as the true starter and by every account, he’s embracing the opportunity.