Anthony Stolarz was a full participant at practice in Edmonton and is just trying to find his rhythm before getting into a game again.
EDMONTON — Anthony Stolarz was one of two Toronto Maple Leafs goaltenders who took part in the club's full practice session on Friday. It was another step for the 6-foot-6 goalie who has been out of action for the last six weeks after undergoing a procedure to remove a loose body in his knee.
He will not get the assignment in net when the club visits the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, with Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube revealing that the goalie is scheduled for a morning of work on the ice at Rogers Place.
"He's close. He's feeling really good," Berube said of Stolarz. "There's no physical element. He's solid there. It's just the conditioning part and timing part that, you know, getting work."
Joseph Woll has been heavily leaned on during the last six weeks while Stolarz has been recovering and is expected to start against the Oilers on Saturday. Although Stolarz is healthy, he did reveal to a small group of reporters, including TSN's Mark Masters, what he's looking for before getting the all-clear to get in the net for a game.
"The biggest thing is angles. Just kind of know where you are," Stolarz said. "First couple practices (back from injury), you're two, three inches off. And, you know, that two, three inches, yeah, that makes all the difference. So, you know, for me, Curtis (Maple Leafs goaltending coach Curtis Sanford) has been working on a lot of different things and he's been pushing me a little bit here."
Stolarz last played on Dec. 12 and was removed after the first period due to a knee ailment. Days later, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving revealed that a loose body was detected in Stolarz's knee and the goaltender would undergo a procedure to remove it.
Based on how he looked and his comments, Stolarz's return is imminent and will likely occur at some point during the club's four-game road trip.
Before the injury, Stolarz posted a 9-5-2 record, with a .927 save percentage. These numbers ranked him among the top goaltenders in the league at the time of his injury.
The 31-year-old signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Leafs in the summer.
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