Anthony Stolarz
As predominantly a backup for the majority of his NHL career, Anthony Stolarz had played in the shadows of many elite goaltenders, including most recently behind Sergei Bobrovsky with the Florida Panthers.
Despite that, Stolarz has quietly put up some solid numbers over the years. In 108 total games, he has posted a tidy 43-31-9 record with a 2.68 GAA and .915 save percentage. In fact, those numbers have been so impressive that it could make him actually a quality starter in the NHL.
Last season, Stolarz played a key role in teaming up with Bobrovsky to help the Panthers finish first in the Atlantic Division. In the end, he even got the distinguished opportunity to hoist the Cup for the first time ever in his career. Nevertheless, Stolarz would still crave at the chance of becoming a starting goaltender in the league.
Well, he may just get that opportunity now with the Maple Leafs for the 2024-25 season. So far this preseason, Stolarz had looked fantastic manning the crease, stopping 54 of the 56 shots that he has faced over three games.
That included posting a 30-save shutout against the Red Wings on October 3. He may be starting the year working in tandem with Joseph Woll in the Leafs net. But if he can continue to consistently post the numbers that he has throughout his career, it will be only a matter of time before Stolarz will break out to win the crease and finally show that he can also be a number one goalie in the NHL.