NHL Insider Provides Exciting Update on Maple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz

Injured in the first period of their game against the Anaheim Ducks on December 12th, Stolarz underwent knee surgery a week later to have what GM Brad Treliving called a 'pebble' removed from his knee.

The expected timeline for his return to action was four-to-six weeks. So far, Stolarz has been on track to meet that timeline, resuming skating last week and continuously increasing the intensity of his workouts on the ice.

On Thursday afternoon, Stolarz even took part in his first practice with the club, which was a very positive sign for the goaltender and the organization.

Prior to practice taking place, TSN's Darren Dreger joined TSN 1050's 'First Up' for a chat, and revealed that Leafs fans should see the Stanley Cup Champion back in the lineup as early as next week.

Dreger's update is news to the ears of the fans given the recent struggles of Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.

Matt Murray was recalled yesterday after winning his fourth game in a row for the Marlies, propelling himself to the top of AHL leaderboards for goals against average. Whether or not he sees action, though, will depend entirely on Stolarz's availability.

Woll has been good in the absence of Stolarz, winning 10 of his 15 starts since being handed the starting job and may continue to be Craig Berube's first choice even when the former Florida Panther returns in the next week. However, his recent string of games, allowing 3 goals against or more in his last few outings, I'm sure the Leafs are looking forward to having a rested and recovered Stolarz back in the rotation.

Regardless of how Berube deploys the tandem upon Stolarz's return, just having him as an option will provide a significant confidence boost for the Leafs, along with more stability in goal.

The 31-year-old joined the Leafs on a two-year deal just days after winning the Stanley Cup and was an early candidate to be a Vezina Trophy finalist. In 17 games before his injury, Stolarz was 9-5-2 with a 2.15 GAA and .927 save percentage.