The ongoing trade chatter surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs has taken a bit of an unusual twist. The conversation, while centered on blockbuster deals involving Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly, has shifted slightly towards a goalie.
This situation is one anyone following the team could have seen coming.
The injury to Anthony Stolarz and the time Joseph Woll spent away from the team opened the door for Dennis Hildeby to earn an NHL job. There is little doubt by now that Hildeby is an NHL-caliber goaltender.
Having Woll and Hildeby as the tandem is a-okay until Anthony Stolarz returns from injury. If and when he does, the Maple Leafs could all of a sudden have a logjam in the crease. Three NHL-level goalies with two spots moving forward.
That situation leads to a dilemma. It’s one that commentator Nick Kypreos discussed in his January 7 piece. In it, he wrote:
“…there are teams out there that need a goalie and not a lot is available at the position. So, if Anthony Stolarz can come back and be healthy for a stretch, he’s a trade chip they could use.”
While Kypreos’ comments should always be taken with a grain of salt, I don’t disagree with him for once. The Maple Leafs would be nuts to let Hildeby languish in the AHL. If, after this season’s stint, Hildeby gets shoved back down to the Marlies, how long do you think it would take for the 24-year-old to ask for a trade?
Plenty of teams would make significant offers for Hildeby. And that would be one of the biggest mistakes GM Brad Treliving could make. Trading away Hildeby, unless it involved a wow return, is senseless.
On the other hand, moving Stolarz would be the best course of action. Sure, he signed an extension earlier this season. But that was before Hildeby passed him on the team’s depth chart. Plus, there’s no telling if Stolarz will ever be a reliable goalie again.
In particular, the question of Stolarz’s durability has been answered. He’s not the kind of netminder who can even make 40 starts. At best, he’s a 30-start goalie. But that’s still enough for teams desperately seeking any sort of help in the crease.
Think of the Ottawa Senators and their current debacle. The Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers could also be teams scouring the market for a goaltender.
As such, Stolarz could be the odd man out for the Maple Leafs. Of course, Stolarz has no-trade protection. But his choices in Toronto are down to outplaying Hildeby, and staying healthy in the process, or hoping that another team can give him the chance to take over, even if temporarily.
Trading Stolarz allows the Maple Leafs a unique opportunity to cash in a potentially valuable trade chip. It’s a situation the Leafs haven’t been in for quite some time now.