Anthony Stolarz suffers setback as lingering issues slow his recovery
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz has suffered a setback on his road to recovery and is looking to get a second opinion on his current status.
Having missed over a month of the season with an undisclosed injury, Anthony Stolarz's return date has been a mysterious one. What seemed like a short-term ailment has stretched into a long-term affair and with minimal transparency; we're left in the dust.
He's not the only player who has question marks about their status right now, but he's arguably one of the most important as when he's on, he is outstanding. If he comes back and is healthy, it could be a critical factor in whether Toronto makes the playoffs or not.
However that return has now added a bit more mystery behind it.
Stolarz to seek out specialist for injury; timetable still unknown
According to head coach Craig Berube, Stolarz is headed to see another specialist in order to get a second opinion on his injury, although Berube did state that Stolarz did not receive a concussion.
He's not making the progress that we thought he would make.
While it's good to know that it's not another concussion for Stolarz, the fact the team has still yet to disclose what's going on is frustrating nonetheless.
Is Anthony Stolarz still a viable option for Toronto?
When he's healthy and on the ice, Stolarz is one of the best goaltenders on the planet but the issue is him being able to stay on the ice. This isn't his first long-term injury, and Toronto's dependency on him the first month alone was enough to set him back.
There is a chance that he gets healthy by the end of the season and is able to give Toronto a last-minute boost into the playoffs, but there's one glaring blemish over this entire situation.
Stolarz just re-signed on a four-year deal, and if we are going to expect this year after year, why is the team committing so much to a goalie who will only make 25 starts because of injuries; that's not the #1 they need.
When you factor in Joseph Woll's injury history, the Maple Leafs goaltending tandem is one that is full of talent but is built like glass. Stolarz may not be viable going forward, and with him going to be 32 in January; age is also a factor which exacerbates injuries.
Anthony Stolarz was fantastic in his debut season, and Woll was great backing him up. But this latest setback is showing that perhaps Toronto putting all their eggs in Stolarz's basket may have been a bit of a hasty move on Brad Treliving's part.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 16 | 1301 ANSWERS Anthony Stolarz suffers setback as lingering issues slow his recovery Is Anthony Stolarz still the right choice for the Maple Leafs in net? | ||
| Yes | 493 | 37.9 % |
| No | 808 | 62.1 % |
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