'He Single-Handedly Won Games For Us': Maple Leafs' Anthony Stolarz Set To Return Against Kraken, Marks First Start In 8 Weeks

Stolarz hasn’t played since December 12, marking an eight-week hiatus where the goaltender hasn’t seen game action.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting some reinforcements in net against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who has been sidelined since December 12 due to an ailment to his knee, was a full participant in the team's morning skate in Seattle on Thursday. 

He occupied the road net, a strong indication that he would be the starter. 

Head coach Craig Berube said at Wednesday’s availability Stolarz was “getting to the point where he’s ready” to make his much-anticipated return.

The bench boss confirmed after practice on Thursday that the American goaltender would indeed take the crease in Seattle, marking his long-awaited return after an eight-week absence.

"Yeah," Berube said when asked if Stolarz was good to go for the start.

While Stolarz has been medically cleared for some time, the Leafs were waiting for him to feel comfortable enough to return to game action. His last appearance came against the Anaheim Ducks, where he suffered a knee injury that required a procedure to remove a “loose body.”

With the extended time off, there will naturally be some uncertainty about rust, something Berube acknowledged while emphasizing the importance of playing tight defensively in front of Stolarz.

“We'll see how the game goes. But, we've got to do a good job in front of them. Like, I mean, we've got to make sure that we're tight tonight. We're eliminating their rush game. They have a very good rush game. We don't need to be giving those guys chances off the rush,” said Berube. 

“Our job, defenders and forwards, is being real good defensively here tonight and tight and not giving that stuff up. We've got to check hard tonight,” he added.

Before the injury, Stolarz was dependable, boasting a 9-5-2 record with a .927 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average. The 31-year-old had hinted his return was imminent on Tuesday, noting that he was keen on making steady progress before making his full return to game action.

"That's all I'm kind of focused on is just making progress each and every day. Physically, I feel great and couldn't be happier with where I'm at in terms of that," Stolarz said on Tuesday.

And his return was met with enthusiasm from his teammates after practice, including William Nylander, who acknowledged the goaltender's impact on the team earlier in the season. 

“He was on fire. He single-handedly won games for us. It’s nice to have a guy like that back in the lineup. Hopefully, he’s feeling good,” said Nylander.

With Toronto set to play its second-to-last game before a two-week break, giving Stolarz a start allows him to find his footing before another upcoming layoff.

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