Serious Concerns Emerge About Anthony Stolarz's Status For the Rest Of Round Two
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Some new information revealed that all might not be great for Anthony Stolarz and his return in Round Two against Florida is in some serious jeopardy.
After Sam Bennett took him out of Game 1 with a blatant elbow to the head, Anthony Stolarz has been on the mend for the Maple Leafs.
Progressing well, it's a positive sign that he is working towards a return, though when that is eludes everyone.
He hasn't skated yet, and things are looking a bit worrisome as the days and games pass.
A concussion is nothing to ignore and Toronto has to do their due diligence to make sure that Stolarz is healthy and able to continue not only playing in the series, but his career in general.
Anthony Stolarz Might Be Too Hurt To Continue Series
It's that concussion issue though that gives some serious concerns, and not just because of the type of injury, but it puts his entire second round in jeopardy.
According to a new article from The Athletic, analyst Joshua Kloke broke down the concussion situation and explained why Stolarz might be out for the remainder of the series:
If Stolarz is indeed suffering from a concussion, there is a timeline to consider.
The return-to-play progression for NHL players dealing with head injuries typically lasts at least seven days.
The league's Concussion Evaluation and Management Protocol outlines a six-step evaluation process in which exercise, intensity and contact are steadily increased in 24-hour increments to gauge whether post-concussion symptoms are still present.
Team physicians are responsible for determining when a player has cleared protocol and returned to his neurological baseline, which clears the way for a return to live game action.
The return-to-play progression for NHL players dealing with head injuries typically lasts at least seven days.
The league's Concussion Evaluation and Management Protocol outlines a six-step evaluation process in which exercise, intensity and contact are steadily increased in 24-hour increments to gauge whether post-concussion symptoms are still present.
Team physicians are responsible for determining when a player has cleared protocol and returned to his neurological baseline, which clears the way for a return to live game action.
If progression is going to be those mandatory seven days, that means that at minimum he would be eligible to return for Game 5 by NHL standards, but whether he is healthy enough to is a completely different story.
Plus that's if the Maple Leafs doctors and officials clear him to play, and they could decide to hold him back a bit longer in order to make sure he is 100%.
So that means all pressure falls on Joseph Woll, Matt Murray and the rest of the backups. Stolarz was undoubtedly the team's rock this season, and they are hard shoes to fill; especially with what we've seen so far.
Woll has two wins sure, but in the series has let in 11 goals and has a .869 SV%; numbers that don't really give hope for fans given Stolarz's unknown return date.
For now though, all we can do is hope that Toronto is able to weather the Panthers relentless attack long enough to sneak through, and get a healthy Stolarz for the Conference Finals.
| POLL | ||
MAI 11 | 899 ANSWERS Serious Concerns Emerge About Anthony Stolarz's Status For the Rest Of Round Two Do you think Anthony Stolarz will remain out for the rest of the Florida series? | ||
| Yes | 657 | 73.1 % |
| No | 242 | 26.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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