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Anthony Stolarz

Maple Leafs Recall Dennis Hildeby On Emergency Basis

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The Maple Leafs announced they’ve recalled goalie Dennis Hildeby from AHL Toronto on an emergency basis. He’ll back up Anthony Stolarz in tonight’s season opener against the Canadiens. Joseph Woll won’t dress after experiencing “lower-body tightness” and is also questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Devils, head coach Craig Berube told reporters (including David Alter of The Hockey News).

It’s another cup of coffee in the NHL for Hildeby, who’s yet to make his in-game debut but spent a few days on the roster last season under similar circumstances. The 23-year-old Swede was an overage draft pick out of the Färjestad BK organization in 2022, going to Toronto in the fourth round. He was one of the first players from the class to sign his entry-level contract but spent his post-draft season back on loan to Färjestad.

Hildeby arrived in North America full-time last season, emerging as a legitimate No. 3 option. The 6’7″, 223-lb netminder was excellent for the Marlies, recording a 2.41 GAA, .914 SV%, four shutouts, and a 21-11-7 record in 41 appearances. He was named to the AHL’s All-Star Game and tied for second in shutouts among rookie goaltenders.

He’s not yet breaking down the door to challenge Woll, one of the league’s better young goaltenders when healthy, or Stolarz, arguably the league’s best backup goaltender last season with the Panthers, for full-time NHL minutes, though. Nonetheless, he’ll look to at least make his NHL debut in spot duty at some point this season, the last one of his entry-level contract before becoming a restricted free agent for the first time.

That means Stolarz is landing the opening-night start in a pivotal campaign for both player and team. The 30-year-old landed a two-year, $5MM commitment from the Leafs on the open market this offseason after recording career highs across the board with Florida last year, posting a 16-7-2 record in 27 appearances with a league-leading .925 SV% and 2.03 GAA among qualified netminders. While he’s never taken on much of a significant workload, Stolarz has been an above-average netminder in his NHL minutes, recording a .915 SV% and 18.0 GSAA across 108 games.

Maple Leafs Sign Anthony Stolarz, Matt Murray

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July 2: Murray is back in Toronto on a one-year, $875K deal, the team confirmed. They’ve also made Stolarz’s signing official.

July 1: With a huge need for help between the pipes, Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to a two-year contract with goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirms Stolarz will earn an AAV of $2.5MM. Matt Murray is returning to Toronto for goaltending depth on an undisclosed contract, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.

After signing goalie Joseph Woll to a three-year extension shortly before the start of free agency, the Maple Leafs needed to find a reliable backup option in the net. Putting together quality seasons in four years as backup to John Gibson with the Anaheim Ducks, Stolarz landed with the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers last offseason.

The move to Florida did him well as Stolarz put together a 16-7-2 record in 24 starts behind the best defensive team in the league. Stolarz also finished with a career-high mark in save percentage with .925 as well as goals against average with 2.03. Although Stolarz will not have the same defensive prowess in front of him in Toronto, he represented one of the most valuable backup options on the market.

In more surprising news, the team opted to re-sign Murray even though he has not appeared in an NHL contest since the 2022-23 regular season. Suffering from chronic injuries throughout his tenure in the Maple Leafs organization, Murray will be Toronto’s third-string netminder to start the season.

Free Agent Rumors: Stamkos, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Stolarz, Ekman-Larsson, Grzelcyk, Martinez

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The Devils are in the market for a top-six forward today, and they may end up as one of the finalists for Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, per ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.

They’ll be one of many teams making Stamkos’ agent’s phone ring off the hook today. TSN’s Bob McKenzie also expects the Ducks, Hurricanes, Predators and Red Wings to make aggressive pushes for the future Hall-of-Fame forward.

A return to Tampa Bay is extremely unlikely for Stamkos, whose 555 career goals and 1,082 games played have all come in a Lightning uniform. They weren’t close to an extension as of last weekend, and their signing of top UFA left winger Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $63MM deal this morning has all but completely boxed him out.

More from around the Eastern Conference amid an already busy morning:

  • The Panthers are working hard on extensions for forwards Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe as they become eligible to sign at 11 a.m. CT today, sources tell David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. They’ve already gotten one big piece of business done today by keeping Sam Reinhart away from the open market on an eight-year, $69MM deal, but Bennett and Verhaeghe are two crucial pieces of their top-six forward group that remain unsigned past next season. It’s unclear what these deals may look like, but Reinhart taking a considerable discount on market value to remain in South Florida is surely a good indicator that Panthers GM Bill Zito can get them locked into deals that won’t break the bank.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger adds the Panthers are also trying to re-sign UFA netminder Anthony Stolarz, but they have some competition. The Blackhawks and Maple Leafs are also in the mix for the veteran’s services. While a career backup, he’s one of the best options on the market in a UFA class devoid of starters. He was electric when used in Florida last year, posting a .925 SV% and 2.03 GAA in 27 appearances.
  • After making Chris Tanev’s six-year deal official, expect the Leafs to add another veteran blue liner in Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dreger says. OEL is coming off a Stanley Cup win in Florida after putting up 32 points in 80 regular-season games, averaging 18:24 per night. He’d likely anchor a third pairing in Toronto on the left side behind Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe.
  • The Penguins are among the teams linked to defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reports. Grzelcyk is likely on his way out of Boston after spending the entirety of his eight-year, 445-game career there. He had 11 points and a +13 rating in 63 games last season while logging 17:36 per night.
  • Alec Martinez could continue his NHL career with the Blackhawks on a one-year deal, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The three-time Cup winner fell down the Golden Knights’ depth chart last year, limited to 55 games due to injuries and healthy scratches. He still managed 17 points, though, his most offense in three years, but had a -2 rating while averaging 19:03 per game.

Panthers Assign Evan Cormier To Minors

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March 17: Cormier has been returned to the minors after backing up Sergei Bobrovsky in yesterday’s 5-3 loss to the Lightning, per CapFriendly. The move suggests Stolarz will be healthy enough to at least back up Bobrovsky for the Panthers’ next game, which isn’t until Thursday against the Predators.

March 16: Signed to an NHL deal earlier this month, goaltender Evan Cormier will now get at least a brief look with Florida.  The team announced (Twitter link)  that the netminder has been recalled from ECHL Florida to serve as the backup goaltender tonight with Anthony Stolarz unavailable due to illness.

The 26-year-old had been playing on a minor league deal but for the second straight season, that contract was converted to an NHL one just before the trade deadline, allowing him to be recalled for a situation just like this one.  Cormier has played in 19 ECHL games with the Everblades this season, posting a 2.88 GAA and a .906 SV%.  He also has six AHL appearances with Charlotte but has struggled, putting up a 3.64 GAA with a .868 SV%.

He’ll be covering for Stolarz who has been a bright spot for Florida’s goaltending this season.  Signed to a low-cost one-year deal in the summer, the 30-year-old has thrived, compiling a 2.02 GAA and a .925 SV% through 21 games so far.  A pending unrestricted free agent, Stolarz is certainly well-positioned to earn a sizable raise on his $1.1MM price tag.

While Florida has Spencer Knight in the minors as well, they can’t afford to call him up.  They’re using one of their cap-exempt emergency goalie recalls to add Cormier to the roster but cap-exempt recalls have limitations on who is eligible based on their salary.  At $4.5MM, Knight is well above that threshold, taking him out of the mix this time around.

Florida Panthers To Sign Anthony Stolarz

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The Florida Panthers are making moves to strengthen their goaltending depth, reportedly agreeing to terms with Anthony Stolarz on a one-year contract. According to The Hockey News’ David Dwork, the deal is expected to be in the $1MM range.

Stolarz’s addition to the Panthers’ roster is an interesting move that could provide valuable insurance in net. While Sergei Bobrovsky remains the team’s undisputed starter, Stolarz is a high-end secondary option in case backup Spencer Knight remains unavailable to the team to start 2023-24. The goaltender is expected to return to the team after spending the last few months of the season in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, but it’s not confirmed.

The 27-year-old netminder has had limited opportunities at the NHL level for quite a while but has emerged as a legitimate backup option in the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. Over four seasons in total with the Ducks organization, Stolarz posted a solid .913 save percentage in 56 games (43 starts). He has also spent time with the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers in his career.

Getting a third goalie in the mix is a priority for the Panthers moving forward, as outside of his stunning playoff run in these past playoffs Bobrovsky has been massively inconsistent in Florida. The Panthers needed some heroics from third-string goalie Alex Lyon to even sneak into the postseason, so with this signing, they’ve shored up their goaltending depth in case another situation like that arises.

Ducks Notes: Henrique, Stolarz, Nesterenko

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Ducks center Adam Henrique was originally designated as out week-to-week but Eric Stephens of The Athletic clarifies (Twitter link) that the actual timeline for him to recover from his sprained MCL is five-to-six weeks.  Accordingly, it’s possible that the 33-year-old is able to return late in the season.  Henrique has 19 goals and 14 assists in 57 games in 2022-23 and Stephens notes that there was some legitimate interest in him at the trade deadline although the injury certainly cooled that off.  He’ll be featured in plenty of trade speculation again next season when he’ll be in the final year of his contract, one that carries an AAV of $5.825MM.

More from Anaheim:

  • Goaltender Anthony Stolarz was initially listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury but Stephens reports (subscription link) that the veteran is actually out for the rest of the season. That took away any chance that the Ducks had of moving him before yesterday’s trade deadline.  Stolarz will hit the market this summer coming off what was a disappointing year that saw him put up a 3.73 GAA with a .897 SV% in 19 games.  Lukas Dostal, the presumptive backup next season to John Gibson, should get an opportunity for more regular playing time down the stretch.
  • While new prospect Nikita Nesterenko has one more year of college eligibility remaining, don’t expect him to use it. Speaking on a team podcast following the trade deadline (audio link), GM Pat Verbeek indicated that the plan is to sign the 21-year-old to an ATO agreement to allow him to play in the minors after his season at Boston College comes to an end and will work on an NHL contract from there.  Nesterenko is eligible to opt for free agency this summer since it has been four years since he was drafted.  He has 30 points in 33 games with Boston College this season.

Anaheim Ducks Activate Anthony Stolarz

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The Anaheim Ducks have announced that goaltender Anthony Stolarz has been activated off of injured reserve.

In a corresponding move, the team has assigned netminder Lukas Dostal to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

A few days ago, we covered that Stolarz had begun skating once again, a development that hinted at a soon-to-come return from the injured list.

Stolarz has been out of action since December 12th, when he suffered a lower-body injury. Now, with his activation, the Ducks have gotten John Gibson’s backup back onto their active roster.

The Ducks have been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, and Stolarz has had his share of struggles. After posting a .917 save percentage in 28 games last year, Stolarz is down to an .889 through 13 contests this year.

Stolarz will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year, barring an extension. His expiring deal mans it’s imperative that Stolarz puts together a solid stretch of starts, in order to put himself in the best position possible for a potential trip to the open market.

To make room for Stolarz on their roster, the team has sent down their number-three goalie, Dostal. The 22-year-old Czech netminder has been a bright spot for the Ducks, posting a .909 save percentage through seven games. He’s been good in the AHL as well, with a .916 in 20 games.

Snapshots: Ducks Goaltenders, Maple Leafs, Rielly

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The Ducks will have their starting goaltender back between the pipes tonight as head coach Dallas Eakins relayed to reporters including Bally Sports West’s Aly Lozoff (Twitter link) that John Gibson has been cleared to return from his lower-body injury and will start against Vegas.  It has been a tough year for the veteran as his GAA has jumped to 3.99 while his save percentage is down to just .896, numbers that are the worst of his career by a considerable margin.  In a corresponding roster move, the team officially returned goalie Olle Eriksson Ek to AHL San Diego.

Meanwhile, backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz has started skating on his own and could join the team for practice soon, relays Lisa Dillman of The Orange County Register.  The veteran suffered a lower-body injury back on December 12th and hasn’t played since.  He, too, is having a tough year with a 4.02 GAA and a save percentage of just .886, hardly the performance he or the Ducks were hoping for as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The NHL has levied a pair of fines on the Maple Leafs. First, the team was fined $100K for a CBA travel violation as they traveled to St. Louis late on December 26th.  While it was a late-night flight, the rule states that teams cannot travel or have any activities until the 27th.  The second fine was issued to head coach Sheldon Keefe for demeaning conduct directed at the officials during last night’s game against St. Louis.  He’ll be $25K lighter in the wallet as a result.
  • Still with the Maple Leafs, they are expected to have their top blueliner back in the lineup tomorrow as Keefe told reporters including Sports Illustrated’s David Alter that Morgan Rielly should suit up Thursday against Arizona. The 28-year-old suffered a knee injury a little over a month ago and was placed on LTIR.  Toronto will need to get cap-compliant in order to activate him but a pair of LTIR placements yesterday and an eventual return of Mac Hollowell to the minors will be enough to allow them to activate Rielly.

Fowler, Stolarz, Manson Placed In COVID Protocol

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Jan 18: Elliott Teaford of the OC Register tweets that Josh Manson, assistant coach Geoff Ward, and video coach Joe Piscotty have now also been placed in the COVID protocol. With the Ducks off until tomorrow, they haven’t announced any activations but did send Benoit-Olivier Groulx to the AHL.

Jan 15: The Anaheim Ducks won’t have John Gibson in net tonight and they won’t have Anthony Stolarz either. The latter has joined the former in the COVID protocol, leaving Lukas Dostal and the recently recalled Olle Eriksson Ek as the two goaltenders on the active roster.

The worries don’t end there, however, as Cam Fowler has also been placed in the COVID protocol. The Ducks have recalled Vinni Lettieri and Greg Pateryn along with Eriksson Ek as they try to fight through this newest outbreak. Brendan Guhle is expected to enter the lineup in Fowler’s place.

Anaheim has lost two in a row and now seven of their last ten, but remain in second place in the Pacific Division. A big part of that is the fact that they’ve already played 40 games though, meaning they’ll need to get back on track here or risk dropping quickly down the standings.

Stolarz has been exceptional in relief of Gibson this season, posting a .919 save percentage through 13 games. In fact, since arriving in Anaheim in 2019-20 there hasn’t been much to complain about. In 22 appearances, the 27-year-old netminder has posted a .923 save percentage in a Ducks sweater. Dostal and Eriksson Ek meanwhile have a combined two games at the NHL level.

John Gibson Out With Lower-Body Injury, Will Miss Tonight’s Game

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Goaltender John Gibson suffered a lower-body injury in Anaheim’s Wednesday night season-opening win against the Winnipeg Jets, head coach Dallas Eakins confirms. Backup netminder Anthony Stolarz will make his first start of the season Friday night against Minnesota while Lukas Dostal has been recalled to back him up, per the AHL’s transactions page. Eakins also notes that winger Troy Terry will be absent from the game against Minnesota as well, citing a non-COVID-related illness.

Gibson was easily Anaheim’s best player in an impressive 4-1 victory against Winnipeg earlier this week, making 33 saves on 34 shots (.971 save percentage). Now 28 years old, the netminder’s performance this season will be crucial in helping a young team take strides forward from last year’s 17-30-9 record. His health moving forward is paramount for the team’s success.

Stolarz draws into the full-time backup role this season, succeeding the retired Ryan Miller. Drafted in the second round by Philadelphia in 2012, this looks to be his first full-time NHL role. He’s been impressive in limited appearances for Ducks over the past two seasons, posting a 4-4-0 record and .929 save percentage in that time frame.

The absence of Terry can’t be understated either. The 24-year-old was fifth on the Ducks in scoring last season, notching seven goals and 20 points in 48 games. He remains one of the best two-way forwards on the team and could be primed for a breakout campaign this year. Per Eakins, Max Jones will draw in tonight in his place.

Without some core pieces tonight, the Ducks could be in tough to keep the good times rolling against a stout Minnesota Wild team playing in their first game of the season.

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