The Toronto Maple Leafs should not have a goalie controversy, not 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 imagined 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 harm considerations, an issue final season, crept up once more to begin the 2024-25 season. Bear in mind, final yr, Woll didn’t play Recreation 7 towards 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 imagined to be prepared for opening evening towards the Montreal Canadiens however was not; thus, Anthony Stolarz grew to become the starter. He’s taking part in effectively for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For a few years, the Maple Leafs struggled with goaltending and protection. That has modified lately. Up to now this season with Stolarz, the place appears solidified.
Everybody desires to speak about what Stolarz did with the Florida Panthers final season when he was the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky successful a Stanley Cup. Stolarz had 2.03 objectives towards 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 shouldn’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 may very well 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 beneath a .900 save share, the Geese had been a nasty crew, and he saved them in lots of video games.
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Anthony Stolarz has a report of 3-2, a 1.83 GAA, and a .938 save share in a small pattern measurement with the Maple Leafs. Within the sport towards the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday evening, 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 response to MoneyPuck, Stolarz continues 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 sport within the NHL, however he realized from among the best goalies within the NHL and gained. He’s a confirmed winner and is bringing stability to the place the Maple Leafs didn’t have earlier than.
The Maple Leafs believe in Anthony Stolarz, which is why he’s the beginning goaltender, despite the fact that Joseph Woll is able to return from harm.