NHL Insider finally provides projected recovery timeline for injured Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz
Photo credit: Kyle Ross Imagn Images
After nearly two months of speculation, TSN's Chris Johnston was able to provide a projected timeline for Anthony Stolarz's return to the Maple Leafs' lineup.
On Monday, for the first time in nearly two months, Anthony Stolarz took to the ice with other injured Leafs in his full gear.
The former second-round pick had begun skating by himself last week, so Monday was a rather big step forward in his recovery process.
Stolarz Skates For Second Day In A Row
As the Leafs prepare to host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, they held an optional morning skate this morning. Ahead of the morning session, Stolarz was seen working with the Leafs' return-to-play staff alongside William Nylander who remains day-to-day despite being placed on injured reserve on Monday.
It may not seem like much, but seeing Stolarz on the ice on back-to-back days is a very good sign and means he wasn't feeling any discomfort after Monday's session.
Projected Return Timeline For Stolarz Finally Revealed
While skating two days in a row is certainly a good sign for the Leafs and Stolarz, TSN's Chris Johnston was on 'First Up' Tuesday morning where he revealed that Stolarz is still far away from returning.
"He went six or seven weeks without skating, but it's not something that's threatening his season at this point. It's one of those things that's so far down the road, that there isn't a clear timeline, but with the Olympic break coming up in a month, it could be a scenario where you don't see him before then."
It isn't surprising that Johnston doesn't think Stolarz will be returning within the next six weeks, given how long he has been out of action and the process to get him back up to speed.
That being said, not having Stolarz seemed to be a major reason why the Leafs faltered in the second round against the Florida Panthers last year, so if the Leafs can get him back before the post-season it would be a huge boost.
For now, though, the Leafs will continue to rely on Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby to give them quality starts. Woll and Hildeby have had their off-games in the absence of Stolarz, but for the most part, they have done an excellent job of helping the Leafs turn their season around and get back into the playoff picture.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 6 | 582 ANSWERS NHL Insider finally provides projected recovery timeline for injured Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz Do you think Anthony Stolarz will return before the trade deadline? | ||
| Yes | 251 | 43.1 % |
| No | 202 | 34.7 % |
| Doesn't matter, Woll and Hildeby have been fine | 129 | 22.2 % |
| List of polls | ||