Toronto Maple Leafs

Something Has Changed for Anthony Stolarz in Toronto

Anthony Stolarz was solid his first year in Toronto, then hit a wall. With a lighter role and a familiar face beside him, can he be back.

by
Old Prof
September 24, 2026

If you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, it’s time to rewind. Stolarz’s first season with the team was genuinely stellar. He was rock solid in the crease and looked like exactly the kind of addition Toronto needed. Then last season happened, and it just didn’t click the same way.

A lot of it wasn’t really his fault, either. He was banged up with upper-body and groin injuries for a chunk of the year, and he was playing behind a team that wasn’t exactly locking things down in front of him. Tough combo for any goalie.

Why Stolarz Could Bounce Back in Toronto

But here’s why there’s a real reason for optimism heading into this season. Stolarz just picked up a preseason win, stopping 19 of 21 shots against Ottawa while backstopping a younger group of Maple Leafs, and looked sharp doing it. More importantly, his role is clear now: he’s set up as the backup behind Sergei Bobrovsky, which might be exactly what he needs.

And there’s a nice personal angle here too. Stolarz and Bobrovsky aren’t just teammates. They’re actually reunited from their Florida days, where they won a Stanley Cup together with the Panthers. So this isn’t some random goalie pairing. This is two guys who’ve already been through the ultimate together, now sharing a crease in Toronto.

You’ve gotta think that familiarity and trust take a lot of pressure off Stolarz. He’s not walking in as the guy who has to be great every single night. He gets to slide into a clearly defined backup role, take pressure off his body with a lighter workload, and just play good, clean hockey when he’s called on.

Anthony Stolarz Maple Leafs extension — Anthony Stolarz Maple Leafs

What Needs to Happen for a Stolarz Bounce-Back Season?

That’s honestly the recipe for a bounce-back year. Less mileage, less pressure, a proven partner in net with him, and a guy who’s already shown he can be excellent in this system when healthy. If Stolarz can get back to the form he showed in his first season in Toronto, even in a reduced role, that’s a real luxury for the Maple Leafs. A strong 1B goalie behind Bobrovsky could be the difference in tight divisional games and give Toronto some real insurance heading into a brutal Atlantic race.

So is a Stolarz bounce-back possible? Absolutely. And it might end up being one of the more underrated storylines for the Maple Leafs this season.