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New update on Anthony Stolarz may force Brad Treliving into an uncomfortable decision
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn (left) Dan Hamilton-Imagn (right)
A new update coming from Craig Berube does not spell good news for Anthony Stolarz and it may force Brad Treliving into an unavoidable situation.
It's been a long time since Anthony Stolarz took the ice and there's been no timeline for his return. It's been over a month, we haven't heard a peep from the coach or GM about any progress and there's genuine concern that he isn't healthy enough to handle a full workload.
That's tough considering he just signed an extension to be a huge part of the lineup going forward and share starter duties alongside Joseph Woll, but yet we're stuck wondering if he's even going to make a return this season.
And a new update from Craig Berube does not bring a lot of positivity to the situation.
Stolarz nowhere near a return to the ice
Speaking to reporters on Saturday ahead of Toronto's clash against the Ottawa Senators, Berube explained that Stolarz is nowhere near a return and right now it's an indefinite hiatus as he sees a specialist:
This would be Stolarz's third major injury with the Maple Leafs in his short tenure with the club. He was injured last December and missed a month of action, then was knocked out of the playoffs after suffering a concussion.
This most recent injury must have been a lingering issue, as Stolarz was the polar opposite of the player he was last year.
This season, Stolarz has a 6-5-1 record with a 3.51 GAA and .884 SV%. Compare it to last season when he was red-hot and ended with a 21-8-3 record with a 2.14 GAA and .926 SV% and you see that clearly something was off.
A Stolarz long-term injury puts pressure on Brad Treliving
For now, it will be up to Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby for now, but it could make Brad Treliving double check what he needs to acquire this season. If he knows that Stolarz is going to be a long ways away, then it would be best if the team found a dependable backup.
Nothing against Dennis Hildeby, but he's still a rookie and while he could come out of nowhere and surprise many, it might be smarter to bring in someone who has experience; especially in the postseason.
It's an unfortunate turn of events for the Maple Leafs and Stolarz, but all we can hope for is that whatever the outcome is be it surgery, or a long recovery period; he just gets healthy at the end of it.