Maple Leafs Closing In on a Decision With Anthony Stolarz Before Season Opener
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
According to NHL Insider David Pagnotta, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are seemingly close to an extension and could come to terms shortly.
A lot of the news recently over the past few weeks has been whether or not the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are going to come to terms on an extension which would see the team's goaltending future locked up for the long-term.
But we still haven't really had a definitive timeline as to when he will sign and with his ultimatum being the regular season; there isn't too much time to work with.
David Pagnotta's Report Sheds Light on Where Talks Stand
Which is why it's a huge relief that The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta has some information that will make fans quite excited.
The insider explained in a recent article that the Maple Leafs and Stolarz were still hashing out the numbers and that it's more about finding the perfect balance; a central theme for the team this season:
They continue talks, but they aren't closer to a deal as of (Wednesday morning) than they were two days ago. Term affects the dollars. An extra result results in a higher AAV, and both sides haven't found that sweet spot, just yet.
That's a massive boost to the entire situation as it's clear that both parties want to get a deal done and are trying to make it fair for both player and team.
Stolarz was fantastic in his first year in Toronto, posting a 21-8-3 record with a 2.14 GAA and .926 SV% even though he missed a month of the season and was injured in the playoffs.
Why the Leafs Want Stolarz Signed Before Opening Night
Well besides the fact that they want to make sure they don't alienate their goaltender and stretch things out too long, but it gives them both their defense and goaltending solidified for the future, which means all hands on deck for the forwards.
With Stolarz locked up the team can focus their attention on thinning the roster and finding ways to save as much capital as possible before a potentially legendary free agent class in 2026.
Plus it would be really nice as a fan to know what direction the team is headed, especially with many questions about how the roster is going to look come October.
But when that time comes around, there's really only one big task:
They get it done before it's too late.
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