Maple Leafs' Goaltending Numbers Since the Anthony Stolarz Injury A Cause for Concern
The Toronto Maple Leafs' recent struggles in net since the Anthony Stolarz injury a strong indicator of just how important he is to the overall success of the team.
The 22-13-2 Maple Leafs currently sit atop the Atlantic Division, but they have been mediocre in their last eight games, posting a 4-4 record. A common denominator in this poor stretch has been the absence of solid goaltending since Anthony Stolarz was injured.
As per LeafsLatest on X:
🔹 .869 SV%
🔹 3.88 GAA
🔹 Shots Against: 237
🔹 Saves: 206''
Before his injury, Stolarz was outstanding for the Leafs, ranking among the league leaders with a 2.15 GAA and a .927 save percentage.
Since Stolarz went down, the Leafs have been forced to rely on Joseph Woll and Matt Murray in net, with mixed results. The team has been plagued by an unfortunate schedule, featuring numerous back-to-back games, which certainly hasn't helped.
Early in the season, the tandem of Woll and Stolarz handled this with ease, but since Stolarz's injury, back-to back games have become a weak point for the team.
Matt Murray, who has been attempting an NHL comeback after a plethora of injuries, has been serviceable if not subpar at best so far. He acknowledged that the Leafs' recent disappointing loss to the Washington Capitals was due in part to his lacklustre performance in goal.
Given the situation, it may be time for the Maple Leafs to consider shoring up their goaltending depth, especially with Stolarz still roughly a month away from returning. This stretch has underscored just how vital Stolarz is to the team's success moving forward.
If the Leafs can tighten up on defense to help insulate their goalies for the next month, it may negate the need for a stop gap solution in net. If not, they had better hope that Dennis Hildeby is ready for a larger workload, because the current setup isn't quite working out as planned.
