Maple Leafs Lose Starting Goalie for Second Round

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost starting goalie Anthony Stolarz early in their series against the Florida Panthers. The veteran net minder was backstopping the team with great success so far in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs before injuries sidelined him. In his absence, the team has turned to Joseph Woll.

While the Maple Leafs hoped Stolarz could return soon, the latest update from the team cast doubt on his potential comeback against the Panthers. Following their Game 3 loss, Maple Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube informed the media that Stolarz has yet to resume skating following the injuries sustained in Game 1. The Athletic's Joshua Kloke shared Berube's update in a recent article.

“(Stolarz) has not skated yet,” he said.

The update from Berube is a bit of a reversal on how he's played it since Stolarz's injury. Before Game 2, Berube was back-and-forth regarding his availability and never ruled him out before the game began. Now, he's made it clear where Stolarz is in his injury rehabilitation. Despite stating that Stolarz is trending in the right direction, he's yet to reach the next milestone in his rehab.

The big issue revolving around Stolarz is the exact nature of the injury. Most agree that he sustained a concussion of some degree, but there has been no confirmation.

Regardless, Stolarz is far from playing at this point. To return, he has to resume skating. He would then progress to joining the team sessions before he could return to game action. Since he hasn't taken that first step, he's likely out for the rest of the second-round series.

Without Stolarz, the pressure increases on Woll. He won his first start following the injury, but the Panthers got to him in Game 3. They scored five goals on him and exposed some of his flaws. With the rest of the series in his hands and his running mate still out, Woll has to lock the net down for the Leafs to advance.