Anthony Stolarz has a real shot if he remains the starting goaltender
That’s a tough question to answer, especially at this point in the season. Off the bat, we could say, yes. The numbers support a case for Stolarz. However, a more rational analysis would demand a larger sample size.
In other words, we would have to look at the numbers, say, around Christmas time before actually determining if Stolarz has a realistic chance.
Now, there are several factors that could keep Stolarz from having a chance to win the Vezina. First, there’s Joseph Woll.
Woll was penciled in as the starter this season. However, his injury during the preseason allowed Stolarz to jump into the driver’s seat. But with Woll set to return, there’s no telling if Stolarz will continue to play the same number of games.
Logic would suggest that Craig Berube should roll with the hot hand. That means that Stolarz should get the lion’s share of starts until Woll proves he’s fully healthy and able to carry the team.
Second, there’s consistency to think about. Could Stolarz continue his great play over 40 or starts or more? If he can, he should be right up there with the Shesterkins and Bobrovskys of the world. But if he cannot maintain his current performance, then this entire conversation would be rendered moot.
Finally, there’s the team in front of him. The Leafs need to play solid defense in front of Stolarz or Woll, for that matter. If the Leafs D leaves their goalies out to dry like they did Dennis Hildeby in Columbus, winning the Vezina Trophy could become nearly impossible.
That is why a strong Maple Leafs defense in front of Stolarz could give him a legitimate shot at being named a Vezina finalist this season.
At the end of the day, more time and data are needed before building a conclusive case on Stolarz winning the Vezina. Nevertheless, he has been fantastic thus far. If Stolarz keeps it up, we could be witnessing one of the best seasons by a Toronto Maple Leafs netminder in a long while.