Anthony Stolarz is gearing up to play a crucial role for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the upcoming season. Recently, he revealed why he chose to sign with the Leafs, highlighting both the team's potential and the city's appeal.
The Maple Leafs made significant strides this off-season, aiming to bolster their blue line and goaltending. Among their notable acquisitions was Anthony Stolarz, who comes off a standout year and a Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers. Despite limited ice time behind the star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, Stolarz's move to Toronto marks a fresh chapter in his career.
Welcome to Toronto! 🍁
Anthony Stolarz has signed a two-year deal with the @MapleLeafs ! #NHLFreeAgency
In a candid interview, Stolarz explained his decision to join the Leafs, focusing on the opportunity and the team's championship aspirations.
"I just thought that Toronto was the best fit just in terms of an opportunity,"
"A team that is a very strong contender. And, you know, obviously going to a city like Toronto, it's something I'm looking forward to and I'm really excited for it."
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving also weighed in on Stolarz's signing, expressing his excitement about the potential impact of the new goaltender.
"If you look at his career, he's played as a backup to some top-level goaltending, so there wasn't a lot of net there,"
"There wasn't going to be a lot of starts. He's big, he's athletic. I think goaltenders as we all know they take some time to mature in their game. I think he's done that."
New Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz: "I know that I'm one of the best in the world, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I'm excited. I've heard nothing but great things about the fan base. It's a very hungry and passionate fan base."
The addition of Stolarz, paired with the impressive postseason performance of Joseph Woll, sets the stage for a promising goaltending duo in Toronto. As the season progresses, it will be exciting to see how this new combination performs.
In Anthony Stolarz, Toronto adds the regular season's 2nd best goaltender by GSAx per game (+0.56) to a tandem with the Playoff leader in GSAx per game (Joseph Woll, +1.09).