The Toronto Maple Leafs shouldn’t have a goalie controversy, no less than not on the primary beginning place. It’s Anthony Stolarz.
Stolarz signed a two-year contract for $5 million – a $2.5 million wage cap hit – with the Maple Leafs within the offseason. He was presupposed to be the backup to Joseph Woll, who signed a three-year, $10.98 million deal – $3.66 million wage cap hit.
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Nevertheless, Woll’s damage issues, an issue final season, crept up once more to begin the 2024-25 season. Bear in mind, final 12 months, Woll didn’t play Recreation 7 in opposition to the Boston Bruins in Spherical 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ilya Samsonov, now with the Vegas Golden Knights, began the sport.
Woll was presupposed to be prepared for opening night time in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens however was not; thus, Anthony Stolarz turned the starter. He’s enjoying properly for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For a few years, the Maple Leafs struggled with goaltending and protection. That has modified lately. Thus far this season with Stolarz, the place appears solidified.
Everybody needs to speak about what Stolarz did with the Florida Panthers final season when he was the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky profitable a Stanley Cup. Stolarz had 2.03 targets in opposition to common and a .925 save share. These had been among the many finest for NHL goalies, as he performed in 27 video games.
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These numbers mustn’t shock those that have adopted Stolarz since his days with the Philadelphia Flyers. Stolarz put up strong numbers as a backup goalie, particularly in his first season, recording a 2.07 GAA and a .928 save share.
There have been many within the Philadelphia space clamouring for Stolarz to play extra. He couldn’t get in with Michael Neuvirth, Brian Elliott, and Carter Hart within the system. So, there have been indicators that Stolarz could possibly be this good.
He didn’t play a lot over the subsequent couple of seasons, particularly with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Geese. Once more, when he did man the web, his numbers had been stellar.
Nevertheless, in his third season in Anaheim, the variety of video games he performed began to rise, as he recorded a 2.67 GAA and a .917 save share. Whereas his final season in Anaheim dipped under a .900 save share, the Geese had been a foul staff, and he saved them in lots of video games.
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Anthony Stolarz has a document of 3-2, a 1.83 GAA, and a .938 save share in a small pattern measurement with the Maple Leafs. Within the recreation in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night time, with the Maple Leafs up 5-1, Stolarz stopped the Lightning within the second interval, making a number of saves within the “excessive hazard zone.”
In keeping with MoneyPuck, Stolarz remains to be among the best goalies within the NHL to date this season. His superior stats proceed to again up his play from final season when he was with the Panthers.
The Jackson, New Jersey native and second-round choose (forty fifth general) from the 2012 NHL Draft took time to seek out his recreation within the NHL, however he realized from among the best goalies within the NHL and received. He’s a confirmed winner and is bringing stability to the place the Maple Leafs didn’t have earlier than.
The Maple Leafs trust in Anthony Stolarz, which is why he’s the beginning goaltender, regardless that Joseph Woll is able to return from damage.
