While Anthony Stolarz avoided a serious injury in Ottawa, the chaotic circumstances surrounding his late scratch only further highlight the fragile state of the Maple Leafs' crease.
KANATA, Ont. — Unable to make his scheduled start against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, Toronto Maple leafs Anthony Stolarz has been cleared to return home after some precautionary imaging, following a scary incident in warmups.
Stolarz was sidelined before Toronto’s 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre just before puck drop after taking a routine warmup shot from star forward William Nylander off the throat.
The incident forced an immediate exit for Stolarz and thrust Joseph Woll into the crease. It was a tough ask for Woll, who had just faced 36 shots the previous night in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Nylander explained that he was aiming for Stolarz’s glove during a standard warmup drill when the shot sailed “a little bit to the left”.
“It was an accident… that happens,” Nylander said. “I'm obviously very upset that he got hurt and couldn't play tonight. I feel very bad about it. I've been texting him, and he's been good. He said, 'It's okay'”.
Perhaps more indicting for a Leafs squad struggling for consistency this season was their inability to rally around Woll. The young goaltender has been under siege lately, facing more shots than any other NHL netminder over the last two weeks while starting six of the club’s last seven games. The Leafs allowed 43 shots at Woll.
“It’s tough on Joseph, he did a great job,” Berube said of Woll’s performance under the circumstances. “But the team’s got to respond better than that. We don’t have enough guys that go out and push”.
While Stolarz returning home is an encouraging sign and the team categorized his hospital imaging as precautionary. Berube stopped short of clarifying the goalie's status moving forward. Considering Stolarz was well enough to text teammates that he was fine, the immediate outlook is optimistic.
However, the Maple Leafs must remain wary of any head or neck trauma involving Stolarz. Earlier this season, he missed over 10 weeks due to a nerve issue in the neck area. This follows his first season in Toronto, where a Sam Bennett elbow to the head in Game 1 of the second round against Florida became a pivot point in the Leafs’ eventual 2025 playoff exit.
What remains curious is how the Leafs have managed Stolarz’s workload since his return from the nerve injury. Despite his effectiveness, Woll has handled the lion's share of the work, with Stolarz largely relegated to the tail end of back-to-back sets. When pressed on the decision making for goaltending starts, Berube hasn't offered much on Stolarz specifically, noting only that he wanted to give Woll a "run".
It is a head-scratching strategy for a team currently spiraling out of the playoff picture. The decision to ride one goaltender while the other sits is especially risky given the club's recent history of health issues at the position.
The organization’s long-term anxiety regarding the crease was evident six days ago when they signed fourth-string option Artur Akhtyamov to a three-year extension well ahead of his RFA status. This stands in stark contrast to last season; despite Woll and Stolarz posting elite save percentages, the club waited until days before training camp to sign No. 3 option Dennis Hildeby.
With Stolarz signed to a four-year, $15 million extension that begins next season, the Leafs are clearly in a protective state over their investment. The crease is crowded, but for Stolarz and Woll’s sake, they need to find a way to split the workload evenly.