Injury News on Anthony Stolarz Getting Worse for Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs offered an update on the status of goaltender Anthony Stolarz on Tuesday. It is not good news.

Head coach Craig Berube says Stolarz is heading to see another specialist, while confirming the injury is not concussion-related: “Hopefully we get some good news out of it, and he can help him a little bit, because he’s not making the progress that we thought he’d make.”

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It’s been just over a month since Stolarz last appeared in a game for the Maple Leafs. During a Nov. 11 contest against the Boston Bruins, he left after the first period due to an upper-body injury. Following the game, head coach Craig Berube thought Stolarz, who he says “got a little stretched out,” would be fine.

Clearly, he was not.

Stolarz played 13 games for Toronto this season, getting most of his starts with Joseph Woll out of the lineup. Stolarz struggled, posting six wins and an .884 save percentage. His heavy workload may have contributed to an injury, but that’s not confirmed.

Coach Craig Berube said Stolarz isn’t close to returning, though his season isn’t in danger. Without Stolarz, the Leafs have been relying on an often-unhealthy Woll and rookie Dennis Hildeby. The results have been mixed, although early indications from Hildeby’s game is that there’s something there.

Now, there are questions about whether the Maple Leafs made the right decision in extending Stolarz when they did. The Leafs had another year to make their decision. Nick Kypreos argued, “If they had just waited it out, even if they had to pay him a little bit more, they would’ve gotten proof on his dependability. Now, I got nothing.”

Woll, who suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 4, will make his return to the crease on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

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