Toronto Maple Leafs' general manager Brad Treliving made a smart, low-risk move by signing goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a free-agent deal during the summer of 2024. The Leafs signed Stolarz to a short-term, two-year contract for $5 million.
The Maple Leafs received great value for the $2.5 million AAV during Stolarz's first season in Toronto. He and partner Joseph Woll were one of the top goaltending tandems in the NHL during the 2024-2025 season.
Stolarz set career-highs in games-played (33), wins (21), led the NHL in save-percentage, and had the third-best goals against average (2.14). Despite his stellar play, the Leafs have compelling reasons to wait on signing him to an extension.
From cap flexibility to evaluating Stolarz's long-term viability, delaying negotiations could ultimately benefit both Stolarz and the organization.
Stolarz's performance, team fit, and the importance of the goaltending position are strong pulls to ink the goaltender to an extension as soon as possible, but the facts suggest restraint is needed.
The 2024-2025 season was the first of Stolarz's career where he wasn't in a backup role. He achieved personal bests in wins and appearances, but still played fewer games than Woll.
Woll, also with a checkered injury history, was left to take the starting job for much of the middle part of the regular season while Stolarz was out with a knee injury. Then, after taking two blows to the head during Game 1 of the second-round series against the Florida Panthers, Stolarz did not play any more playoff games, only dressing as the backup to Woll during Game 7.
Stolarz will turn 32 midway through the 2025-2026 season and has yet to establish that he can handle the workload of a number-one, starting goaltender, with fifty-plus games. Last season with the Maple Leafs was promising, but red flags remain.
Woll is signed for two more years, through the 2027-2028 season, providing the Leafs with capable goaltending insurance. Unless Stolarz opts for the long-term security of a three or four-year deal at below market value (unlikely), Treliving should be in no rush to get him signed.
The Case for Stolarz to Wait for an Extension
When healthy, Stolarz proved to be a top-ten NHL goaltender last season. If he can stack another similar type season, he will get paid, either by the Leafs or someone else.
Should Stolarz bet on himself and succeed, he stands to get paid somewhere in the neighborhood of a $8 million plus per season on a new deal. Looking at the contracts of other proven goaltenders across the league, that number is reasonable after back-to-back strong seasons.
Stolarz's next contract is his last chance to secure a large payday. Should he have another strong year with the Maple Leafs, he will have many suitors in free agency next summer, especially with an increasing salary cap.
For Stolarz, being patient is his best choice. It would be unwise (and unlikely) for the Maple Leafs to pay him as an upper-echelon goaltender off of one good season.
Will Stolarz resign? When Will it Happen?
Barring one side or the other sacrificing something significant, it's unlikely that a deal between the Leafs and Stolarz is imminent. It makes too much sense to wait.
The Maple Leafs have Woll secured for two more years and likely want to see a continuation of Stolarz's strong play before extending him. Stolarz stands to make a significant financial gain with another strong season.
The most likely outcome sees the Leafs and Stolarz play out the first half of the 2025-2026 season and reassess things. If Stolarz stays healthy and maintains his solid play, it stands to reason that the Maple Leafs and Stolarz would want to continue their partnership.
With all that criteria met, a three to four-year deal with a $7-$9 million AAV is agreeable for both sides. Treliving's previous deals for other key Leafs' players have found a middle ground. Treliving signed William Nylander to an extension during the season, and doing the same with Stolarz makes the most sense.
The Maple Leafs gave Stolarz his first extended opportunity to be a starting NHL goaltender. He rewarded them with stellar play and has been a good fit in Toronto. It's a relationship that should continue, but expect both sides to take some time before committing.