A recurring concern with Anthony Stolarz is putting the Maple Leafs $15-million dollar investment at risk
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Anthony Stolarz can't stay healthy and it's becoming a concern for the Maple Leafs especially considering they just committed to him for a whole whack of money.
Coming in last season, Stolarz was an absolute revelation. Not only did he prove that he can be a starter, but also helped carry the Maple Leafs to an Atlantic Division title and making some history along the way.
However fast forward a year later and Stolarz is sitting the rest of the year and his injury concerns — which have always been there — were out in full force.
The availability audit and why the injury history of Anthony Stolarz is a concern
He missed two months earlier in the year, then proceeded to be in and out of the lineup due to various injuries.
William Nylander shot a puck into his throat, then he went to make a routine save and came up limp. It's unfortunate to say the least, and if he was at least semi-competent and healthy this year then we could be looking at a much different team.
Though right now, Toronto is facing a serious dilemma and that's the fact that they committed a whole lotta money towards Stolarz being their tandem starter with Joseph Woll and now that's looking like a serious overpayment.
Starting only 25 games for the Maple Leafs this year, Stolarz went 10-10-3 with an abysmal 3.28 GAA and .893 SV%. That could be something to do with the fact that he missed over two months combined with various injuries, and was already worse for wear within the first two weeks.
That level of inconsistency health-wise is scary considering that Joseph Woll also isn't exactly durable and that leaves only Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov to handle things. They can certainly do so, but Toronto needs some veteran help in the crease.
How the Maple Leafs can protect their $15-million dollar investment this summer
Well, first of all they can make sure they let him heal as much as possible and get him the best medical advice available. They need to know where he stands first before they can build a plan around him.
However if Stolarz is given the all clear to train at a regular level this season, he's going to have to make sure that the team is built properly before he steps on the ice. That means adding some serious defensive help and not letting him get pelted for 35-40 shots a night.
The more he needs to move and make the extra stretch, the more likely he is to get hurt so by minimizing those chances, you therefore minimize the injury risk. Does it mitigate it completely? No, but anything helps.
It's not going to be easy and Stolarz needs to prove to the rest of the team and the fans that he can get back to his 2024-25 calibre. Remember, he was injured as well last year but still played incredible at times.
Toronto has to protect him throughout the season if they want to protect their investment, and if Stolarz can't pull it together, the team has effectively flushed $15-million down the drain.
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| POLL | ||
AVRIL 12|919 ANSWERS A recurring concern with Anthony Stolarz is putting the Maple Leafs $15-million dollar investment at risk Should the Maple Leafs reconsider having Anthony Stolarz as their #1 starter? | ||
| Yes | 566 | 61.6 % |
| No | 353 | 38.4 % |
| List of polls | ||