Anthony Stolarz on the Trade Block? 3 Potential Landing Spots

The Toronto Maple Leafs may soon be forced to make some difficult decisions at the goaltending position. Anthony Stolarz is inching closer to a return to the lineup for the first time since leaving a game with an upper-body injury more than two months ago in Boston. As a result, the Maple Leafs will soon have three very capable NHL goaltenders in Stolarz, Joseph Woll, and Dennis Hildeby.

Depth in net is as important as ever in today’s game, so riding a three-goalie setup for the rest of the season isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That said, GM Brad Treliving has several holes to fill elsewhere on the roster, and with limited draft picks and prospects at his disposal, a surplus in goal could serve as valuable trade bait.

---

That speculation has only intensified after Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos included Stolarz on his latest trade board. With that in mind, here are three landing spots that make sense not only for the 6-foot-6, 248-pound netminder, but for the Maple Leafs as well.

Philadelphia Flyers

Free-agent signing Dan Vladar has been a nice story in Philadelphia this season, but he was already nearing his career high in starts before going down with an injury on Wednesday night. Behind him, Samuel Ersson has struggled mightily, so for a Flyers team sitting just two points out of a playoff spot, upgrading in goal is necessary.

The organization is very familiar with Stolarz, having drafted him in the second round (45th overall) back in 2012. He could step in and pair in tandem with Vladar or take on a heavier workload alongside Ersson, depending on the severity of Vladar’s injury.

Philadelphia has cap space, draft capital, and some intriguing roster pieces that could interest Toronto, including Bobby Brink and Rasmus Ristolainen, both of whom have surfaced in the rumor mill at times.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division in spite of their goaltending. Pyotr Kochetkov is done for the year, Frederik Andersen has struggled, and Brandon Bussi has come back down to earth after a great start. 

Carolina’s structure allows just about any goalie to win games, but if they want to make a legitimate playoff run, they’ll need better play in net. A healthy Stolarz would immediately become their best option, and GM Eric Tulsky has never been shy about taking a swing.

Like Philadelphia, Carolina has the cap space and future assets to make a deal work. Toronto could also look to kick tires on Jalen Chatfield or Sean Walker, two solid right-shot defensemen who may be available for the right price.

Utah Mammoth

Lastly, there’s the Mammoth, who are currently clinging to a wild-card spot in the ever-changing Western Conference playoff picture. Karel Vejmelka has been excellent for much of the season, but he’s on pace to start 61 games, which is just far too heavy a workload.

Acquiring Stolarz to form a tandem with Vejmelka would not only strengthen the position but help keep both goaltenders fresh as they push for what would be their first postseason appearance since moving to Utah.

From Toronto’s perspective, Utah checks plenty of boxes. Cap space, draft picks, and prospects are readily available, while forwards Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton, along with defensemen John Marino—or, more of a pipe dream, Sean Durzi—stand out as logical targets.

Next: Insider Says Rasmus Andersson Trade Could Happen Within 48 Hours