Maple Leafs GM Hints at What's Next for Team's Goaltending Plans
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving talked what he thinks is the next steps towards securing his goaltending for the future including an Anthony Stolarz extension.
Last season was a pleasant surprise for the Toronto Maple Leafs at least when it comes to their goaltending. Anthony Stolarz shined as the de facto starter, and Joseph Woll was a stellar 1B; making some history in the process.
However, Stolarz is a free agent after this season and is without a new deal. Luckily for the team though, they have Woll as well as Dennis Hildeby locked up for the next few seasons should Stolarz not re-sign.
Brad Treliving Comments On Goaltending Situation; Stolarz Contract
But GM Brad Treliving doesn't seem too worried about things, and explained to The Athletic and Pierre LeBrun that he's progressing well towards things with Stolarz on the negotiation front and we may see something very soon:
Anthony has come in and been terrific. Really, he and Joseph (Woll); if you look at any metric, I think they were as good a goaltending tandem as there was in the league. They were truly a backbone for us.
We've certainly had discussions with Anthony and his representative, and we'd love to find a way to get something done. If there's a situation both sides are comfortable with, we'll pursue it. Those conversations have been ongoing for some time, and we'll see what the coming days bring.
We've certainly had discussions with Anthony and his representative, and we'd love to find a way to get something done. If there's a situation both sides are comfortable with, we'll pursue it. Those conversations have been ongoing for some time, and we'll see what the coming days bring.
That's great news for the Maple Leafs considering they could certainly use some consistency and stability in net. If Stolarz hangs around for a couple more seasons, that gives the team three goalies who will be able to play at the NHL level, without needing to flip flop between a bevy of goalies.
What This Means For Toronto's Goaltending Going Forward
With negotiations progressing with regards to Stolarz and his potential new deal, that means that for the first time in seemingly decades, the Maple Leafs not only have a solid core of goaltenders, but they are sticking around for a few seasons together.
You could argue that the last time Toronto had someone for the long haul who was good for multiple seasons was perhaps Curtis Joseph, so you're looking at 25 years of some good, but not great goaltending.
Having the trio of netminders locked down for the next few years makes finding a star forward or defensive replacement for Morgan Rielly easier, knowing they don't need to overpay for goaltending (especially with how cheap they actually are).
Brad Treliving has been pretty quiet when it comes to big blockbuster deals besides the Mitch Marner situation. But it's that quietness that has allowed him to potentially lock up his goalie situation for years to come.
And he very well might do it without breaking the bank.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 3 | 1319 ANSWERS Maple Leafs GM Hints at What's Next for Team's Goaltending Plans Will the Maple Leafs re-sign Anthony Stolarz this season? | ||
| Yes | 1240 | 94 % |
| No | 79 | 6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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