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Maple Leafs' Goalie Depth in Spotlight After Anthony Stolarz's Injury Update

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Dec 13, 2024 6:31 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a significant challenge following goaltender Anthony Stolarz’s lower-body injury sustained during Thursday’s 3–2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Stolarz, who has been sensational this season with a league-leading .928 save percentage, left the game after the first period, prompting Joseph Woll to take over in net.

Speaking after the game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said the injury is "concerning," although he couldn't provide an instant update on Stolarz's situation.

"We’ll know more (Friday)," Berube said, per Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "It is concerning, for sure. I didn’t see when it happened, but hopefully, we get good news out of it."

According to NHL on Prime and Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, however, Stolarz's injury is "not believed to be incredibly significant."

Per #NHLonPrime insider @frank_seravalli, @mapleleafs goalie Anthony Stolarz's injury is “not believed to be incredibly significant."

Stolarz exited tonight's game in the first period with a lower-body injury. pic.twitter.com/9jHLSXXMDX
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) December 13, 2024

Stolarz’s absence, whether short or extended, could be a substantial setback for a team relying on his elite form to put together victories.

Following a Stanley Cup-winning campaign last season with the Florida Panthers, the veteran netminder has started 16 games for the Leafs this year posting a 9-5-2 record and ranking first in save percentage (.928), third in goals-against average (2.13), and second in quality start percentage (.813) among goalies with more than five games played.

With Stolarz out, the Leafs are expected to pick between Woll, Matt Murray, Artur Akhtyamov, and Dennis Hildeby to carry the team forward in net.

Woll, who stopped 19 of 20 shots in relief against the Ducks, offers a strong immediate option and should be the preferred and most-immediate replacement considering his status as 1B to Stolarz's 1A in the Maple Leafs rotation.

Since returning from his own early-season injury, Woll (7-3-0) has been solid with a .919 save percentage in 10 starts.

Thursting Woll into a full-time starter role will force Toronto to call up a backup from within the organization and rely on an AHL's Toronto Marlies' netminder.

Among the Marlies’ goaltending options, Akhtyamov stands out with a .929 save percentage over nine games. Matt Murray, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, also presents a viable choice with his experience, though he’s currently sidelined and hasn't appeared in an NHL game since April 2023. Finally, Hildeby was forced into action at the start of the season starting a couple of games and splitting them posting a horrid .869 save percentage and allowing 4.03 goals against on average.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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