The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to do without a star goalie for the time being. News emerged that Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who last played against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 12, will “miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury” according to Sportsnet Staff. The Maple Leafs goalie left that game with the injury after making seven saves on eight shots in the first period. TSN reported on X this morning that Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving gave an update.
“MRI came back and revealed no structural damage. He will go undergo a procedure to remove a loose body within his knee,” the post said. The “loose body” apparently looks like a pebble. TSNs post from five minutes later said the procedure will take place in New York.
Maple Leafs Goalie Injury Background
Previously, following the 3-2 win against the Ducks, Stolarz had been ruled out for the weekend games against the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, on Saturday and Sunday. This was according to David Alter of The Hockey News on Sunday.
In 17 games played this season, all of which he started, Stolarz has nine wins, one shutout, a .927 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average.
Last playoffs, he became a Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers, before signing as a free agent with the Maple Leafs on July 1 of this year.
Stolarz’ History of Knee and Lower-Body Injuries
Finally, Stolarz is not a stranger to lower-body injuries. In 2017, he missed a lot of time due to surgeries “to repair a medial collateral ligament tear in his right knee and a torn left meniscus, This injury happened in December 2018. That particular lower-body injury that put him out a month. A more recent example took place in May 2021, when he suffered an ankle injury at the IIHF World Championship, which put him out for the rest of that event.
