Nobody came closer to dethroning the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers than the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While it ended in ugly fashion, with blowout losses on home ice in Games 5 and 7, the Maple Leafs pushed the champs to the brink, and they’re the only team that can say that.
There are plenty of factors Toronto can point to for why they ended up falling short; however, one thing we’ll never know is how different the results would have been with a healthy Anthony Stolarz.
The Maple Leafs’ number one goalie was rolling heading into round 2, but the elbow to the head from Sam Bennett in Game 1 changed everything and ultimately ended his season. Stolarz spoke about the hit and how he’s feeling now on “Leafs Morning Take” on Tuesday.
“Just an unfortunate incident there. I got hit in the head, and probably about 5–10 minutes after, I started feeling a little woozy and dizzy. I just thought it was best for myself and the team to take the right precautions to make sure everything was alright. Things took a little while to get back, but right before Game 6 and Game 7, I started feeling like myself again,” Stolarz said.
“Obviously, I backed up in Game 7, and now everything’s good. I was able to train, able to skate, and I was on the ice probably 15–20 times this summer with my goalie coach. So, I’ve had no symptoms, everything was good, and I was able to kind of go full throttle this summer,” Stolarz added.
“I’ve had no symptoms, & everything was good. I was able to kind of go full throttle this summer..”
– Anthony Stolarz is 100% entering camp 🔥@thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill pic.twitter.com/dqRp3gM1Tj
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) September 16, 2025
The 31-year-old is about to enter the final season of the two-year, $5 million contract he signed to come to Toronto as a UFA in 2024.
Stolarz-Maple Leafs contract talks
While Anthony Stolarz and the Toronto Maple Leafs are working together on a potential contract extension, it doesn’t sound as if they’re too close to finalizing a deal just yet.
There have been varying reports about what the 6’6″, 243-pound netminder could make in average annual salary on a new deal, though TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston recently suggested that something just above Joseph Woll’s $3.67 million cap hit could be a sweet spot for Stolarz and the Maple Leafs.
Expect the two sides to continue negotiations in the weeks leading up to the season, but if nothing gets done by then, it will certainly be a talking point as the real stuff begins on October 8 against the rival Montreal Canadiens.
