Panthers goalie Anthony Stolarz during training camp at the Ice Den in Coral Springs. Source: Florida Panthers When Anthony Stolarz looked at the Florida Panthers, he saw opportunity. The 29-year-old goaltender has been in the NHL for six seasons after being selected 45th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Draft. He knew that when the clock hit high noon on July 1, he'd be an unrestricted free agent looking for a new team. There had been some interest from the Panthers leading up to the new league year, so when they were quick to reach out after free agency opened, it felt like the right move. "I think everything was wrapped up within the first five minutes of free agency, so that was a weight off my shoulders," Stolarz told THN. The veteran goaltender saw joining the Panthers as a move that would check multiple boxes. It was a place where he knew there was a spot for a depth goaltender and Florida was a team that he could potentially compete not only for playing time, but for something even greater. "You play to win, and at the end of the day, everyone's goal is to win the Stanley Cup," Stolarz explained. "Just the opportunity to come in here at camp and battle for a position, I thought it was something that I couldn't pass up. It just seemed like the right place for me." Stolarz has been around long enough that he has no misconceptions about the job he's being asked to do. It's why he's rarely been seen around the Ice Den in Coral Springs without a big smile on his face. "I've always been in that two or three role my entire career, so it's not something that I'm not used to," Stolarz said. "I take pride in myself being somebody that the team can rely on, whether I'm up here or down in Charlotte. As a backup, you have to be ready at any moment's notice, so you just have to prepare the same way, whether you're starting or not." Another reason for Stolarz to sign with Florida, though perhaps a bit lower on the list of things of importance, had to do with something more visually pleasing than anything else. You see, Stolarz is a goaltender who puts some thought and consideration into how he looks on the ice. Goalie gear can be some of the most expressive equipment in all of sports, with companies offering countless color options and combinations. Some tendies will want a dominant color, or go all white or all black. It's really up to each individual guy, and there are definitely goalies who care more about how their gear looks than others. When Stolarz first took the ice at Panthers training camp last week, it was clear he had put some thought into his setup. In terms of what he was wearing, Stolarz has the True Catalyst PX3 leg pads and gloves. The color scheme featured a red base with white and gold graphics and a dark blue trim. Panthers goalie Anthony Stolarz skates during a training camp practice at the Ice Den in Coral Springs. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxMDg2NTY3NzUyNjczMTQ1/img_6348.jpg] Panthers goalie Anthony Stolarz skates during a training camp practice at the Ice Den in Coral Springs. Stolarz said he started going with darker gear after signing with Anaheim in 2019. He had an amazing season with the AHL's San Diego Gulls that year and has been riding with the fun color combos ever since. Not since the days of Tomas Vokoun and Tim Thomas has a Panthers goalie gone with something that pops like this. One thing that jumped out at me is that Stolarz uses colored laces for his glove webbing. The majority of goalie gloves in the NHL feature white lacing. Why does this matter? Every so often, a goaltender makes a glove save that ends up being reviewed to see if the puck still somehow crossed the goal line while inside the goalie's glove. White glove laces mean you can sometimes see the puck in the pocket of the glove, and there have been instances where that has led to a save being replay-reviewed into a goal. Goalie gear belonging to Anthony Stolarz of the Florida Panthers. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxMDg2NjA4MDE3OTkxMzQ5/img_6327.jpg] Goalie gear belonging to Anthony Stolarz of the Florida Panthers. Simply using dark-colored glove laces would seemingly solve that potential problem, no? So props to Stolarz for going with the red base on his gear and keeping his glove laces uniform. But as nice as his colorfully choreographed goalie gear is, there was something even more eye-catching that Stolarz was rocking. It was a shiny, chrome-looking Panthers-themed goalie helmet. No matter where you may be sitting in the rink, the mask catches your attention. It's gorgeous. Giving THN an up-close and personal look, Stolarz said his new helmet was pained by well-known artist Dave Gunnarsson, better known in the mask-painting world simply as DaveArt. [gallery ids="2987,2988"] Stolarz previously had his masks done by artist Noah Ennis, but Gunnarsson is the craftsman behind both Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight's paint jobs, so it seemed logical for Stolarz to give him a shot after signing with Florida. Despite this being his first collaboration with Gunnarsson, Stolarz said he put his trust in the globally popular mask artist, though that was partially by necessity. "I have zero artistic ability," Stolarz admitted. The mask features some DaveArt staples, like miniature Panthers logos as a kind of base in parts of the helmet, something he's done with other Florida goalie helmets in the past. The main Panthers logo crest is at the crown of the mask, with either side morphing into a prowling panther. Below the panthers on either side are palm tree skylines, each one unique and colored differently. The chin of the helmet has Stolarz No. 41 prominently displayed between two of Florida's sunburst logos. The back plate, which is generally the least seen part of a goalie helmet, is where you'll find Stolarz biggest contributions to the artistic design. Growing up, he was a big fan of the Nickelodeon cartoon Rocket Power, where each episode would show the main characters playing all different kinds of extreme sports. Occasionally, the characters on the show would play hockey, and in goal would be Sam "Squid" Dullard. [gallery ids="2984,2985,2986"] Thanks to Stolarz, the Squid has made it from the streets of Ocean Shores, California all the way to the NHL. "I was a huge fan of the show, and I thought it was something cool to put on the back," he said. Also on the back plate is the phrase "Prove People Wrong" which Stolarz like to drawn on for inspiration, and something else that shows the New Jersey native's sense of humor. It's from the movie "Wedding Crashers." "Rule 76. No excuses, play like a champion," Stolarz said through a smile. "It's a funny quote I throw in there." The finishing touches of this artistic headwear are provided by the helmet's special, chrome finish. It's something Stolarz specifically asked for. "The chrome dip is something I've done the last few years," he said. "It has a nice little shine to it." Overall, the whole setup – pads, gloves and mask – pops. How much Stolarz is seen on the ice in South Florida is still yet to be determined, but whenever and wherever he suits up this season, he'll be looking sharp. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg]
