Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Says Anthony Stolarz Is 'Day-To-Day' But Needs To Get On The Ice First
The Toronto Maple Leafs received "good news" on goaltender Anthony Stolarz, however, when he could return to the net remains a mystery.
Toronto called Dennis Hildeby up from the Marlies on Friday ahead of their practice at Ford Performance Centre. Stolarz, who left after the first period against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, was not on the ice at all
"Day to day right now," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said on Friday.
The head coach was pressed further on the injured goaltender. He was asked if he believes Stolarz will be back in Toronto's net sometime next week.
"Yeah, I do, but, in saying that, again, he's gotta get on the ice," Berube said. "But it was good news, overall. Let's just leave it at that. Right now, he's day-to-day."
Stolarz has been one of the league's top goaltenders this season. His .927 save percentage ranks atop the NHL while his 2.15 goals-against has him sitting second in the league.
It's unknown what Stolarz's injury is, but the goaltender appeared to be uncomfortable after New Jersey's first goal of the game. The Maple Leafs have said he's dealing with a lower-body injury.
"Hopefully it's not anything major, especially with the way he's been playing," said Bobby McMann, who's on the verge of returning from his own lower-body injury, on Friday.
"He's just been keeping us in games, winning us games, just being an absolute backstop back there. You never want to see that and you just hope that it's not long-term."
Toronto is set to play back-to-back games this weekend. They're in Detroit to take on the Red Wings before returning home and facing the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. Joseph Woll will likely get Saturday's game, and if he has an easy night, potentially the following game too.
However, the 26-year-old has a past of injuries, so Hildeby will likely get the net on Sunday. Berube said on Friday that the team has all the confidence in the goaltender after having played two games up in the NHL earlier this season.
(The 23-year-old won one of two games and put together an .869 save percentage.)
"He came in and played that great game in Jersey for us. So we have confidence in him," Berube said. "Like I said, he's got a lot of ability and he's obviously a big man. So if we got to use him, I have confidence in him for sure."
