Maple Leafs Goalie Anthony Stolarz Shares Full Details on His Injury From Game 1

One of the biggest "what ifs" for the Toronto Maple Leafs following another early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs is what if goaltender Anthony Stolarz could have kept playing against the Florida Panthers?

Stolarz left game 1 against the Panthers in an ambulance after Panthers forward Sam Bennett struck him with a stiff forearm/elbow to the head.

Stolarz opened up on the injury during locker room cleanout day. He confirmed that he had suffered a concussion, and that it was most definitely caused by Bennett's elbow, not the puck hitting him in the helmet on an earlier play.

Teammate Auston Matthews has been torn to shreds by analysts following the Leafs' elimination, while pending free agent Mitch Marner appeared to say an emotional goodbye to the team.

While neither were good enough in the post-season, there's no question that the injury to Stolarz was a major turning point, and one that may very well have changed the outcome of the series.

Stolarz added that he didn't think there was malicious intent from Bennett on the hit saying Bennett just caught him in a bad spot. In a very sportsmanlike moment, he wished his former teammate all the best going forward in the playoffs, and said he's feeling much better now.

With both Marner and John Tavares needing new contracts over the summer, coach Craig Berube advised Maple Leafs' management to keep both, saying he 100 percent wants them back on the team.