The Toronto Maple Leafs do not need a goalie controversy, no less than not on the primary starting position. It’s Anthony Stolarz.
Stolarz signed a two-year contract for $5 million – a $2.5 million salary cap hit – with the Maple Leafs within the offseason. He was imagined to be the backup to Joseph Woll, who signed a three-year, $10.98 million deal – $3.66 million salary cap hit.
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Nevertheless, Woll’s injury concerns, an issue last season, crept up again to begin the 2024-25 season. Remember, last yr, Woll didn’t play Game 7 against the Boston Bruins in Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ilya Samsonov, now with the Vegas Golden Knights, began the sport.
Woll was imagined to be ready for opening night against the Montreal Canadiens but was not; thus, Anthony Stolarz became the starter. He’s playing well for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For a few years, the Maple Leafs struggled with goaltending and defense. That has modified lately. To date this season with Stolarz, the position seems solidified.
Everyone desires to discuss what Stolarz did with the Florida Panthers last season when he was the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky winning a Stanley Cup. Stolarz had 2.03 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. These were amongst the most effective for NHL goalies, as he played in 27 games.
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These numbers mustn’t surprise those that have followed Stolarz since his days with the Philadelphia Flyers. Stolarz put up solid numbers as a backup goalie, especially in his first season, recording a 2.07 GAA and a .928 save percentage.
There have been many within the Philadelphia area clamouring for Stolarz to play more. He couldn’t get in with Michael Neuvirth, Brian Elliott, and Carter Hart within the system. So, there have been signs that Stolarz may very well be this good.
He didn’t play much over the following couple of seasons, especially with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Geese. Again, when he did man the web, his numbers were stellar.
Nevertheless, in his third season in Anaheim, the variety of games he played began to rise, as he recorded a 2.67 GAA and a .917 save percentage. While his last season in Anaheim dipped below a .900 save percentage, the Geese were a nasty team, and he kept them in lots of games.
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Anthony Stolarz has a record of 3-2, a 1.83 GAA, and a .938 save percentage in a small sample size with the Maple Leafs. In the sport against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night, with the Maple Leafs up 5-1, Stolarz stopped the Lightning within the second period, making several saves within the “high danger zone.”
In line with MoneyPuck, Stolarz continues to be among the best goalies within the NHL up to now this season. His advanced stats proceed to back up his play from last season when he was with the Panthers.
The Jackson, Recent Jersey native and second-round pick (forty fifth overall) from the 2012 NHL Draft took time to search out his game within the NHL, but he learned from among the best goalies within the NHL and won. He’s a proven winner and is bringing stability to the position the Maple Leafs didn’t have before.
The Maple Leafs believe in Anthony Stolarz, which is why he’s the starting goaltender, although Joseph Woll is able to return from injury.
