Anthony Stolarz 'Coming Along Well' In Recovery From Upper-Body Injury, Will Join Maple Leafs For Upcoming Road Trip

David Alter

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David Alter

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Partner

After a two-month layoff with an upper-body injury , Anthony Stolarz is showing signs of progress. But when will he actually return to game actio?

It appears Anthony Stolarz is getting closer to returning to action for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The netminder was on the ice early today, fielding shots from player development coaches Nik Antropov and Jake Muzzin while goaltending coach Curtis Sanford led him through positioning drills.

Following Toronto’s morning skate ahead of their game against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Craig Berube provided an update on his goaltender’s progress.

“He's coming along well,” Berube said. “He's been skating for a bit here now and I think it's close where he'll be, you know, with us full time.”

Berube added that the current plan is for Stolarz to join the club for their upcoming four-game road trip that begins on Monday when the club visits the Colorado Avalanche.

Stolarz has been sidelined for two months after sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 11 against the Boston Bruins. While the Maple Leafs initially labeled the injury as day-to-day, his extended absence eventually raised questions regarding the severity of the ailment. Although the club ruled out a concussion, they have declined to disclose specific details regarding the nature of the injury.

Nearly two months after a vague injury sidelined him in November, Anthony Stolarz has finally resumed skating, though his path back to the crease remains a work in progress.

thehockeynews.comMaple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz Finally Hits The Ice After Nearly Two Month Of Dealing With An Upper-Body InjuryNearly two months after a vague injury sidelined him in November, Anthony Stolarz has finally resumed skating, though his path back to the crease remains a work in progress.

Stolarz finally returned to the ice on Dec. 31, and the team has steadily ramped up his workload with each subsequent session.

Beyond reaching full health, Stolarz’s primary hurdle will be regaining his timing. This isn't a new challenge for the netminder; last season, after missing six weeks to have a loose body removed from his knee, Stolarz noted that tracking pucks at NHL speed was the final, crucial step in determining a return date.

The Toronto Maple Leafs finalized a tidy piece of business on Sunday when they put pen to paper on a new four-year, $15 million contract extension for goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The Maple Leafs had expressed optimism that they would get a deal done, as the goaltender wanted everything squared away before the end of the regular season.

thehockeynews.comHow Anthony Stolarz Got Security From The Maple Leafs Beyond The PaycheckThe Toronto Maple Leafs finalized a tidy piece of business on Sunday when they put pen to paper on a new four-year, $15 million contract extension for goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The Maple Leafs had expressed optimism that they would get a deal done, as the goaltender wanted everything squared away before the end of the regular season.

Given that this current injury is the longest to have kept Stolarz out during his two-season tenure in Toronto, finding that rhythm will be paramount to figuring out his return.

In the interim, Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby have filled the void well, particularly as the club has gone 6-0-2 in their past eight games. The statistical stability provided by the duo has allowed the team to remain patient with Stolarz’s recovery. Woll is currently 9-4-2 this season with a .916 save percentage. Meanwhile, Hildeby has posted a 4-5-4 record while also maintaining an identical .916 save percentage.

The 31-year-old Stolarz is 6-5-1 this season with an .884 save percentage.