Edmonton Oilers
Pacific Division Contenders Floated as Anthony Stolarz Landing Spots
Could one of these two Pacific Division contenders make a play for Anthony Stolarz?
When talk of the Toronto Maple Leafs trading a goaltender surfaced a few months ago, it felt rather far-fetched — at least to happen this season. The team was still in the playoff hunt and convinced that a turnaround was on the horizon.
Riding it out made sense at the time, but now that the season has fallen off the rails, it may be time to reconsider — especially given that, starting next year, Dennis Hildeby will have to clear waivers to be sent to the minors, where he could very likely be claimed and lost for nothing. As a result, chatter about moving a goalie has picked up steam again, with one analyst specifically wondering about Anthony Stolarz heading to a Pacific Division contender.
Mike Johnson of TSN floated the idea of sending Stolarz to the Vegas Golden Knights during an appearance on OverDrive on Tuesday.
“Should Toronto trade one of their goalies this week? You wonder if they’re considering that as well. And if you’re Vegas, you’re like, ‘Oh, Stolarz — he’s an upgrade on what we have right now,’ or whoever it might be. I wonder,”
The 32-year-old Stolarz’s four-year, $15 million extension signed with the Maple Leafs in September kicks in to start the 2026-27 campaign.
He’s had an up-and-down, injury-riddled 2025–26 season, posting a 7-8-2 record to go with a 3.40 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage across 18 starts.
Johnson Also Threw Out the Edmonton Oilers
Vegas wasn’t the first Pacific Division contender Johnson wondered about as a fit for Stolarz. Last Friday, he proposed potentially retaining some of his $3.75 million salary to help facilitate a deal with the Edmonton Oilers.
“Could you eat salary and send Stolarz to Edmonton or some team desperate for a goaltender?”
Edmonton has struggled mightily defensively and in goal, though most reports suggest that GM Stan Bowman is going to stick with what he has in Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram.
It is fair to wonder, however, whether that’s just him brushing things off in the media. Combine that with the fact that many believe the Oilers are up to something big, and we truly can’t rule anything out until the deadline strikes on Friday.
Next: Analyst Foresees Trade Requests From Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk
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