The Maple Leafs' goaltending could not cover up the squad's issues like it did last year. Injuries played a significant part. Now, another goalie will try to prove he's the long-term solution.
From the moment Anthony Stolarz went down after making a kick save (and a beauty) early in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals Wednesday night, things did not look good.
Stolarz couldn't put any weight at all on his left leg and had to be helped off the ice.
It highlighted a problem for the Maple Leafs all season in that neither he nor Joseph Woll could stay healthy and, more worrisome, neither was able to deliver the fine netminding they supplied the team last year.
Many warts were covered up by those two in 2024-25, warts that were exposed in 2025-26.
The injury to Stolarz will give Artur Akthyamov at least a short-term opportunity to prove he can be the Leafs goalie of the future. And the way Stolarz and Woll have performed this season, it looks like they need one.
Leafs coach Craig Berube confirmed after the game that Akhtyamov will get his first start Thursday night when the Leafs visit the New York Islanders.
Watch today's video column up above for more.
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