NHL Analysts Unveil Potential Reasons Behind Anthony Stolarz's Recent Struggles
Anthony Stolarz hasn't quite looked his usual self recently, and it's not an injury concern. However, one former NHL goalie believes he knows what's holding him back.
Though he has still had a respectable season for the Maple Leafs thus far, Anthony Stolarz hasn't exactly played up to his early season heroics. With a 2-1-1 record over his last five games (one was a substitute for Joseph Woll) it seems respectable, but the optics show a concerning sign.
Over those five games, Stolarz has given up 15 goals and finished with under a .900 SV% in three of those. He only gave up 20 goals in his first ten, and also enjoyed a stretch where he let in only six goals in five games; he looked locked in.
But an injury derailed his season, and while he's looked good, it isn't great. So what can be done?
Anthony Stolarz Needs To 'Narrow' Down His Goaltending Woes
Former NHL goalie Stephen Valiquette was a guest speaking on the Real Kyper and Bourne Podcast on Tuesday and mentioned how Stolarz can improve on his rocky stretch and it starts by narrowing himself. Literally:
Colorado didn't have many great scoring chances the other night, and the beat up on Stolarz. Two of those goals were low danger chances.
Big goalies -- and it's good to see me on camera because you can see my posture -- tracking toward the puck to make a save is like imagining my necktie driving toward the puck.
Stolarz got beat over his chicken wing twice, he was in neutral and just throwing it at it [his arm] and wasn't getting any range up. He wasn't tracking toward the release.
What I also saw, and the two previous. He gets into trouble because he getting wide before the shot.
When he's wide, his shoulders drop and he plays in neutral and doesn't get the range or idea of where the puck is released from. Even a big goalie can play small that way.
If you go down in your butterfly too quickly, the only thing you can do is try and slide across, you can't arrive on your feet.
I thought Stolarz was strong earlier in the season, and even when he returned, but he's not getting access to those pucks because he is getting too wide on the shot.
Big goalies -- and it's good to see me on camera because you can see my posture -- tracking toward the puck to make a save is like imagining my necktie driving toward the puck.
Stolarz got beat over his chicken wing twice, he was in neutral and just throwing it at it [his arm] and wasn't getting any range up. He wasn't tracking toward the release.
What I also saw, and the two previous. He gets into trouble because he getting wide before the shot.
When he's wide, his shoulders drop and he plays in neutral and doesn't get the range or idea of where the puck is released from. Even a big goalie can play small that way.
If you go down in your butterfly too quickly, the only thing you can do is try and slide across, you can't arrive on your feet.
I thought Stolarz was strong earlier in the season, and even when he returned, but he's not getting access to those pucks because he is getting too wide on the shot.
Leave it to Valiquette, a veteran of six NHL seasons who primarily spent time with the New York Rangers. Much like Stolarz, Valiquette stands 6'6, so if anyone can relate to him, and educate us it's him.
Going in wide is great in trying to manage cross-crease passes and adjusting from side to side, but it leaves a lot of open space and the inability to freely direct yourself into the puck.
The chicken wing that Valiquette refers to is the crook between the ribs and upper arm, and it leaves a gigantic and stiff hole to close especially with a lack of lateral movement on your feet.
Staying on your feet, especially at 6'6 is imperative for taking up the net. He has a large wingspan, and staying tight to the angles and cutting them off without committing is going to make or break Toronto at times.
If he's concerned about his knee giving out because of a rushed movement, that's a whole different worry and something that needs immediate attention.
But if he's just trying to do too much and not bringing it back to what worked before?
It could be a long season with a quick postseason exit. Unless the team chooses to play Woll instead.
| POLL | ||
MARS 12 | 490 ANSWERS NHL Analysts Unveil Potential Reasons Behind Anthony Stolarz's Recent Struggles Do you think Anthony Stolarz needs to adjust how he plays in order to help the Maple Leafs in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 311 | 63.5 % |
| No | 179 | 36.5 % |
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