Goaltending has proven to be a strength for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Suddenly, though, it’s a cause of great concern.
Originally, a lower-body injury suffered by Anthony Stolarz wasn’t considered to be of a serious nature. Then on Tuesday, Leafs coach Craig Berube was confirming that Stolarz will be requiring a procedure on his injured knee. He’s going to be out of action for 4-6 weeks.
An offseason UFA addition from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, where he was serving as backup to Sergei Bobrovsky, Stolarz has proven to be one of the pleasant surprises of the 2024-25 NHL season. Among goalies with a minimum of 10 appearances, he’s first in save percentage (.927) and second in goals-against average (2.15).
Anthony Stolarz will undergo a procedure tomorrow in New York to remove a loose body in his knee.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 17, 2024
He’s expected to miss 4-6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/kqu7UAeFCt
His injury is leaving the Leafs net in the capable hands of Joseph Woll. He’s fifth in save percentage (.918) and third in GAA (2.24). However, Woll, who’s also been prone to injury, can’t be expected to play every game for Toronto over the next 4-6 weeks.
That means at some point the Leafs will be turning to Dennis Hildeby. And while the Toronto brass is of the belief that the Swedish netminder will be developing into a real NHL prospect for the future, presently, Hildeby is showing he’s not ready for prime time yet.
In three games this season, the Swedish puckstopper is 2-1 with a 3.68 GAA and .875 save percentage.
Might the Maple Leafs opt for experience and give two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray a look? The veteran is just coming back to the AHL Toronto Marlies from an injury of his own and hasn’t played an NHL game in over 600 days. Murray won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those were his first two seasons as an NHLer and oddly enough, he was considered a rookie in both seasons.