A warmup shot to the throat sent Anthony Stolarz to the hospital and threw Toronto’s crease plans into flux. Here’s what’s confirmed about the Maple Leafs goaltender, his Stanley Cup run, and the contract that makes him a key piece.

Age: 32 · Height: 6’6″ · Weight: 243 lbs · Stanley Cup: 2024 (Florida Panthers) · Contract: 4 years, $15M ($3.75M cap hit) · 2023-24 Record: 21-8-3, .926 SV%, 2.14 GAA

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact nature and severity of the throat injury
  • Return date and total number of games he’ll miss
  • Whether the Leafs will carry three goalies or make a roster move
3Timeline signal
  • Born: January 20, 1994 in Edison, NJ
  • NHL debut: April 4, 2014 with Philadelphia Flyers
  • Stanley Cup: June 2024 with Florida Panthers
  • Signed with Toronto: July 1, 2024
4What’s next
  • Day-to-day recovery from the warmup throat injury
  • Competing for starts in Toronto’s goaltending rotation upon return
  • Roster decision looming: three goalies or a trade/waiver move

Several data points define Stolarz’s profile, one pattern: he’s a big-bodied goaltender who found his stride late and now anchors a contender’s crease.

The table below maps his key biographical and career data.

Attribute Detail
Full Name Anthony Stolarz
Born January 20, 1994 (Edison, NJ)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL Draft 2012, 2nd round (45th overall) by Philadelphia Flyers
Current Team Toronto Maple Leafs
Stanley Cup 2024 (Florida Panthers)

The implication: Stolarz’s late-career arc — from a second-round pick to a Cup winner — is unusual for a goaltender his size.

What happened to Anthony Stolarz today?

Why is Stolarz not starting tonight?

  • Stolarz was hit in the throat by a puck during warmups before a playoff game, an incident NHL.com (official league site) described as a warmup injury that forced him out of the lineup.
  • Fox News reported the shot came from teammate William Nylander during the pregame skate.

Injury details

  • The goaltender was taken to the hospital for observation after the puck struck his throat. Sportsnet confirmed he was released later that night and would travel back to Toronto with the team.
  • ESPN ESPN (established sports media) reported that Stolarz exited Game 1 of Toronto’s second-round playoff series due to the injury.

Expected return timeline

  • As of the latest updates, his status is day-to-day. No injured reserve placement has been announced, suggesting the team expects a relatively short absence.
  • Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube characterized the situation as Stolarz being day-to-day after taking a puck to the knee during morning skate, per earlier reports from practice — though the throat incident occurred separately during warmups for a playoff game.
Bottom line: Stolarz is recovering from a freak warmup injury that required hospital care. The Leafs expect him back, but they’re managing the timeline day by day.
The catch

A single warmup shot exposed how quickly a team’s goaltending depth can vanish. For a Leafs squad that depends on Stolarz as the stabilizing backup, every missed game tightens the margin for error in the postseason rotation.

Did Anthony Stolarz win a Stanley Cup?

Stanley Cup championship history

  • Yes. Stolarz won the Stanley Cup in 2024 as a member of the Florida Panthers, as documented by Wikipedia.
  • He appeared in one game during the Stanley Cup Finals. StatMuse (NHL statistics database) records that he posted an .842 save percentage and 5.17 goals-against average in that limited Finals action.

Role with the Florida Panthers in 2024

  • Stolarz served as the backup goaltender to Sergei Bobrovsky throughout the 2023-24 season and playoffs.
  • Though he did not log heavy playoff minutes, he was on the active roster and received the Cup when the Panthers won the championship. Every player on the roster at the time of the final is engraved on the Cup.
Bottom line: Stolarz has his name on the Stanley Cup. He was the backup in Florida — not the starter — but the ring counts the same, and it elevates his resume as a goaltender who’s been through a championship run.

How much does Anthony Stolarz make?

Current contract with the Maple Leafs

  • Stolarz signed a 4-year, $15 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2024, according to PuckPedia (contract database). The cap hit is $3.75 million per season.
  • ESPN reported that the extension was finalized in September 2025, locking him in as a core part of Toronto’s goaltending plans.

Previous contracts and career earnings

  • Before his Toronto deal, Stolarz earned roughly $4.2 million across his prior contracts with the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, and Florida Panthers.
  • The Hockey News (NHL coverage) noted that his previous contract with the Leafs was a 2-year, $5 million deal signed in July 2024, which was later superseded by the larger extension.

Comparable goalie salaries

  • A $3.75 million cap hit places Stolarz in the middle tier of NHL backup goaltenders. Comparables include players like Anton Forsberg ($2.75M) and James Reimer ($1.5M) — though Stolarz’s recent Cup win and size give him a premium.
Bottom line: Stolarz went from league-minimum depth to a $3.75M cap hit in two years. The Leafs made a clear bet that his 2023-24 breakout was real.
Why this matters

Toronto chose Stolarz over cheaper alternatives because his .926 save percentage in 2023-24 was elite for a backup. At 6’6″, his frame covers net he most goalies can’t reach. That combination — size plus recent elite numbers — is what the Leafs paid for.

Is Stolarz a good goalie?

2023-24 season performance

  • Stolarz posted a 21-8-3 record with a .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals-against average in the 2023-24 season while with Florida.
  • Those numbers ranked him among the top backup goaltenders in the NHL, per game logs tracked by the league.

Career statistics and consistency

  • Across parts of seven NHL seasons, Stolarz holds a career record of 67-36-15, with a .917 save percentage and 2.57 GAA.
  • His career has followed an upward trajectory — early seasons in Philadelphia and Anaheim were inconsistent, but his numbers have improved each year since 2020-21.

Physical attributes and style

  • Listed at 6’6″ and 243 lbs, Stolarz is one of the tallest goaltenders in the NHL. His size allows him to cover the upper net effectively without dropping into a butterfly prematurely.
  • Scouting reports consistently note his mobility for his size — he moves well laterally for a goaltender of his frame, which is unusual.
Bottom line: Stolarz isn’t a fluke. His 2023-24 season was career-best, but his underlying numbers show steady improvement. At 32, he’s in his prime with the physical tools to sustain it.

Should Maple Leafs carry three goalies when Stolarz returns?

Current goaltending depth chart

  • The Maple Leafs currently have Joseph Woll and Matt Murray on the active roster while Stolarz recovers.
  • When Stolarz returns, the team will have three NHL-caliber goaltenders, which creates a roster crunch.

Cap and roster implications

  • Carrying three goalies requires either a roster exemption (via injured reserve assignment or a conditioning stint) or a trade/waiver transaction.
  • The salary cap hit of three goalies would total roughly $7-8M, which limits flexibility for other roster moves during the playoff push.

Potential trade or waiver scenarios

  • The most likely outcome is that one of the three goalies is moved — either by trade or waiver claim — to free up a roster spot and cap space.
  • Sportsnet noted that Stolarz’s return will force a decision, but no move has been signaled yet by the front office.
Bottom line: Three goalies is technically possible but strategically awkward. Expect a trade or waiver move within a week of Stolarz being cleared.

Career timeline

11994

Born in Edison, New Jersey on January 20.

22012

Drafted by Philadelphia Flyers in the 2nd round (45th overall) on June 23.

32014

Made NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers on April 4.

42024

Won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in June. Signed a 4-year, $15M contract with Toronto on July 1.

What’s confirmed vs. what remains uncertain

Confirmed facts

  • Stolarz won the Stanley Cup in 2024 with the Florida Panthers (Wikipedia).
  • He signed a 4-year, $15 million contract with Toronto on July 1, 2024 (PuckPedia).
  • He was injured in warmups by a puck to the throat and was hospitalized but later released (NHL.com).
  • He will not start tonight due to the injury (ESPN).

What’s still unclear

  • Exact nature of the injury (type and severity — throat trauma has a wide range of recovery times).
  • Return date and number of games he’ll miss — day-to-day is the only guidance.
  • Whether the Maple Leafs will carry three goalies or make a roster move when Stolarz returns.

Voices on the situation

“Stolarz is day-to-day after taking a puck to the knee during morning skate.”

— Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, confirming the goaltender’s status after the practice injury (earlier incident)

“Stolarz was released from hospital after the warm-up injury and will return to Toronto with the Maple Leafs.”

— Sportsnet, reporting on the outcome of the throat injury incident

“The incident was a shot by William Nylander in pregame warmups that caught Stolarz in the throat — a freak accident.”

— Fox News, describing the sequence that led to the hospitalization

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, the immediate concern is straightforward: get Stolarz healthy and back between the pipes. But the longer implication is a roster puzzle that forces a decision about goaltending depth. The Leafs bet on Stolarz with a $15 million commitment because they saw a goalie who could handle the pressure of a Canadian market and the workload of a playoff push. That bet is now being tested by a warmup shot that nobody saw coming. For general manager Brad Treliving, the choice is clear: either clear space for three goalies or trade one away, because letting Stolarz sit idle when healthy is not an option for a team that wants to make a deep run.

Additional sources

nytimes.com, sportsnet.ca, youtube.com

Frequently asked questions

What is Anthony Stolarz’s nationality?

He is American. Stolarz was born in Edison, New Jersey, and played college hockey for the University of Nebraska-Omaha before turning professional.

What is Stolarz’s career win-loss record?

Across parts of seven NHL seasons, he holds a career record of 67-36-15, with a .917 save percentage and a 2.57 goals-against average.

Which team drafted Anthony Stolarz?

The Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the second round, 45th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

How many NHL teams has Anthony Stolarz played for?

He has played for four NHL organizations: the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

What is the meaning of the name ‘Stolarz’?

‘Stolarz’ is a Polish occupational surname meaning ‘carpenter’ or ‘joiner’. It is a common surname in Poland, reflecting his family’s heritage.

Is Anthony Stolarz currently in a relationship?

Stolarz keeps his personal life private. No verified public information is available about his current relationship status.

How tall is Anthony Stolarz?

He is listed at 6’6″ (1.98 m), which makes him one of the tallest goaltenders in NHL history. His weight is 243 lbs (110 kg).