Anthony Stolarz will take over as the Leafs No. 1 goalie
When the Maple Leafs signed goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a two-year, $5 million contract this offseason, many expected him to serve as a 1A and 1B tandem option with Joseph Woll in the Leafs net. Some probably even considered Stolarz as the backup, given Woll’s seniority in having been with the Leafs already in parts of the past three seasons.
But while playing away from most of the spotlight, Stolarz has quietly proven in the past to be a high-quality NHL goalie. In fact, he is arguably one of the top backups in the league nowadays. In 108 career games, he has posted a 43-31-9 record with a solid 2.68 GAA and .915 save percentage.
More importantly, he has been extremely durable, having suffered just one physical ailment in the past six seasons. Just for good measure, he has been through it all in winning at the highest level, having played for the Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers last season.
On the other hand, despite the elite play we have seen in Woll, it is hard to forget that he has only 36 games of NHL experience under his belt. Not only that, he has also had trouble staying healthy this past season, with his second injury coming at the worst possible time in the playoffs that ultimately ended the Leafs season.
Now signed to a bigger contract, the question will be will Woll be able to handle the pressure and spotlight that comes with it? As a result, as Stolarz and Woll go head-to-head in the battle for the crease, look for Stolarz to prevail with his more extensive experience and durability and ultimately take over the goaltending duties full-time for the Maple Leafs.