The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost four of their five games on their homestand and are struggling due to injuries. Goaltending has become a significant talking point in recent weeks, and Anthony Stolarz’s return has restored the Leafs’ tandem.
The timing of his first game back drew attention and became a topic recently. Analysts questioned the decision, especially with the high-profile matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. The game marked the return of former Leafs star Mitch Marner in Toronto, after his trade last July.
Maple Leafs’ Goaltending Strategy Under Spotlight as Anthony Stolarz Returns Against Vegas
Stolarz returned to the Maple Leafs lineup on Friday against Vegas after missing more than two months with an upper-body injury. He played his last game before the injury on Nov. 11, in a loss to Boston. In the second week of January, he returned to the ice and continued it till the start of the Leafs’ homestand against the Minnesota Wild.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman admitted he was confused at first. “Stolarz, there was some confusion, and I admit I was confused too,” Friedman said.
Friedman explained that Stolarz went straight to NHL action instead of getting an AHL start. “So Stolarz comes back from his conditioning stint. He plays without an AHL game, Vegas, on Friday, and then on Saturday, Berube’s asked about it. How come you didn’t play in the AHL? And he goes, not my call. And I’m like, what’s going on here?”
Friedman later learned the plan had been set in advance, with the organization deciding Stolarz’s first game back would be at the NHL level. “When Stolarz began his return-to-play protocol and went to the conditioning stand, it was decided that his first game back would be in the NHL,” Friedman said.
He noted that Stolarz agreed to this plan, even when the AHL option was brought up again. Some former players supported the choice, saying AHL games can be chaotic and carry a higher risk of injury.
The timing of Stolarz’s return also raised eyebrows because of the demanding upcoming schedule. Friedman said, “Your choices were Vegas, Colorado at 1:30 on Sunday afternoon, or white-hot Buffalo on Tuesday night. Like, pick your poison, right?” That context helped explain why Toronto decided to bring him back against Vegas, even if it seemed unusual from the outside.
In his first game back, Stolarz stopped 25 of 30 shots in a 6-3 loss to Vegas, with the last goal going into an empty net. He admitted adjusting was difficult, saying, “Probably just the tempo and the speed. You can do your best to replicate those in practice, but once you get out there in a game, at the NHL level, the tempo of the play is a lot quicker.”
Stolarz also shared relief at returning, adding, “Just having the opportunity to battle, and compete with them… it was just nice to be back.”
READ MORE: Insider Sheds Light on Leafs HC Craig Berube’s ‘Not My Call’ Comment About Anthony Stolarz
Stolarz, 32, was drafted in the second round in 2012 by the Philadelphia Flyers. He is a big, positional goaltender who relies on size, rebound control, and structured crease movement. This season with Toronto, he has a 6-6-1 record with a 3.63 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage in 14 starts.
While last season, we saw strong goaltending from Stolarz, he has not been able to find his consistency this season. It remains a challenge for him as he works back into the lineup alongside Joseph Woll.
