In the wake of an effort that made him one of the NHL’s strongest goalies last season, there was no question Anthony Stolarz was going to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Stolarz could’ve been a UFA at the end of the coming season, but on Sunday, he signed a stunningly team-friendly deal when he agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $3.75 million per season.

From the perspective of this writer, Stolarz gave the Maple Leafs an incredible cap hit and terrific discount over what he could’ve gotten on the open market next summer.

Combined with the $3.66-million contract for fellow Leafs goalie Joseph Woll, the Leafs will be paying $7.41 million for their goaltending for the next three seasons. That’s significantly less than what many teams will be paying their goalies for the next three years.

Indeed, when comparing what the Vancouver Canucks are paying for their goaltending – $13 million per season, starting next year – the Maple Leafs are getting Stolarz and Woll as a fantastic price.

In addition, the New York Rangers are going to pay Igor Shesterkin and backup goaltender Jonathan Quick $13.05 million this season. When considering the price of the Blueshirts' tandem, and the Canucks for that matter, it's fair to say that Leafs GM Brad Treliving has done great work in putting together a solid goaltending duo for the long term.

Treliving has spent less than eight percent of Toronto’s cap on his netminding, and that’s going to allow the Maple Leafs to spend more money on the forwards and defensemen in front of Stolarz and Woll.

The salary parity for Stolarz and Woll makes it clearer than ever. With about $90,000 split between the two cap hits, Leafs management sees Stolarz and Woll as 1A-1B, where their playing time will likely be split depending on health and run of performances.

Stolarz has never started more than 33 games – the career-best number he posted for Toronto last year – and Woll has never played more than the 42 games he played last season.

Stolarz’s 2.14 goals-against average and .926 save percentage were superior to Woll’s .909 SP and 2.73 GAA. So, although Woll had to leave the team to tend to a personal matter this past week, it was always likely that Stolarz would get the first shot at establishing himself as the Leafs’ No. 1 goaltender.

If he does play as well as he did last season and appears in at least half of Toronto’s games, Stolarz could find himself challenging for a Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. The Maple Leafs could use a star performance from their goalie, and Stolarz will be playing behind a defense corps that’s first-rate, and behind a group of forwards committed to playing hard in their own zone.

So long as he stays healthy, Stolarz can be a significant contributor for Toronto, and this new contract confirms him as one of the NHL’s better bargains.

Stolarz, 31, has the opportunity to elevate his game to a new level. He’s not likely to be on Team USA’s Olympic team this winter, but the Leafs won’t care all that much if he doesn’t appear on the American roster. In fact, given Stolarz’s injury history, the Buds would be happy if Stolarz didn’t play at all during the Olympic break.

In any case, Stolarz doesn’t have to worry about his next payday until he becomes a free agent again in the summer of 2030. After bouncing around the NHL for his first 10 seasons, Stolarz has found a home in Toronto, signing the longest contract of his career since his entry-level deal. 

Stolarz doesn’t have to worry about the financial side of the game, and if he plays at the level he played last season, he’s going to be worth every penny of his new deal. Stolarz now has the job security he’s been looking for, and he’s earned it. 

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