Still no timeline for return for Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz
As the Toronto Maple Leafs get set to continue their season after the NHL’s three-day holiday break, they seem no closer to reuniting their excellent goaltending tandem from last season.
On Saturday, head coach Craig Berube provided an update, or perhaps rather a non-update, on goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who has been out since November 11th with an upper-body injury. Berube stated that any plan to return or timetable for Stolarz’s recovery remains “indefinite as of right now.”
Craig Berube says there is no clarity yet on Anthony Stolarz's injury right now.
"Indefinite as of right now."@BodogCA
Berube last spoke publicly about Stolarz’ status on December 16th, when he revealed “He’s not making the progress that we thought he would.”
All of this is very inauspicious news for a Leafs team that could certainly use a jolt of positivity. Toronto currently sits in last place in the Atlantic Division, and second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference, with 37 points through 36 games.
In the 13 games Stolarz has started this season, he has a 6-5-1 record with a .884 save percentage and a 3.51 goals-against average. While those are admittedly poor numbers, the Leafs are hoping Stolarz finds his form from last season whenever he does return. In 33 starts last season, the Edison, New Jersey native put up a 21-8-3 record with a league-best .926 SV% and a 2.14 GAA. He even garnered one second-place vote for the Vezina Trophy.
Joseph Woll, the other half of Toronto’s puck-stopping duo last season, has performed admirably when healthy and available this season. Woll, who missed the early portion of the season on personal leave and was out more recently with a lower-body injury, has a 6-4-1 record in 11 starts, with a .920 SV% and a 2.51 GAA.
Dennis Hildeby, the Leafs’ third goaltender, has a 2-5-3 record with a .908 SV% and a 2.96 GAA in nine starts and 13 appearances this season.