Beyond the preseason and its exhibition games, and trying to decide who makes the final roster out of training camp, the Toronto Maple Leafs had one massive task before the 2025-26 NHL regular season starts. And according to some reports Sunday morning, it looks like they're going to get it done.
As reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs and their goaltender Anthony Stolarz are closing in on a contract extension and while Friedman gives no specific timeline, we have to imagine that it will be done within the coming days. And whenever it is done, it will be coming in around $4 million per year as a cap hit.
Mentioned it last night during MON/TOR broadcast, but hearing Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are moving towards an extension
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 28, 2025
When done, expect it to be in the approximately $4M-range.
Shortly after, ESPN's Kevin Weekes added that it is a four-year contract for the goaltender, giving some actual term to the dollar amount we found out from Friedman.
I’m told it’s currently a 4 year contract term on the table for a potential contract extension for Stolarz and @MapleLeafs .#HockeyX #LeafsForever
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) September 28, 2025
Jam those two reports together from fairly reputable sources and we get something like a four-year, $16-million contract coming for Stolarz and it most likely will be finalized before the Leafs open their season on October 8 at home against the Montreal Canadiens.
Stolarz is heading into the final year of the initial contract he signed with Toronto as an unrestricted free agent last summer. It was a simple two-year, $5-million contract after being Sergei Bobrovsky's backup with the Florida Panthers and earning a Stanley Cup ring. The 31-year-old was still unproven as a key contributor in the crease having a career-high 28 appearances, but after last year and his league-leading .926 save percentage while setting a new career-high with 34 games, we can comfortably say that he's as reliable as any other option that's out there.
And now the Leafs are going to be locking in some of that potential for the next five years. Add in the fact that they already have Joseph Woll signed for three more seasons at a $3.66-million AAV, and the Leafs have one of the best tandems in the entire NHL signed for less than $8 million. Fewer dollars committed to arguably the most important position in the sport, than the Columbus Blue Jackets just signed mediocre Ivan Provorov for -- just to add some context.
There are of course some risks signing a goalie to even just a few years, but as long as they feel confident that at the very least Stolarz can be a veteran backup as he enters his mid-30s, then it is an easy win to make for both the present and future success of the Leafs.