Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
As the Toronto Maple Leafs think about making a potential deal, the play of Anthony Stolarz ahead of the Olympic break is bringing his name back into trade talks.
With the Olympics in full swing, that means the NHL is on a bit of a break in play however for the front office staff, it’s two weeks of homework as they look to make deals coming back at the end of February — with only a short time before the trade deadline.
But there’s one player who could end up fetching quite a huge haul at the end of the day and according to Nick Kypreos would be a great asset.
Anthony Stolarz being looked at by contenders as all options on the table
Kypreos wrote in a Toronto Star article that Anthony Stolarz’s performance against Edmonton pre-Olympics turned some heads, and if he’s back to his old form then it could bring a lot of trade interest for the veteran netminder:
Anthony Stolarz’s performance against Edmonton was an eye-opener for teams across the league, including Philadelphia; the Leafs remain one of the few teams that will listen in on calls with their strong depth between the pipes.
If the Maple Leafs are able to get something for a rejuvenated Stolarz then it would be a huge boost to their asset pool especially since Dennis Hildeby has emerged as a future #1 and only 25 years old.
Can Toronto actually find a trade for Stolarz?
To be fair, it would be miraculous if Toronto could pull it off considering that his injury issues have been well documented and a team overpaying potentially to have maybe a month of Stolarz is a pretty big ask especially for a playoff contender.
Stolarz was brilliant against the Oilers on Feb. 3, stopping 34 of 36 shots and looking much more like the goalie of old. We saw a lot more agility, post-to-post awareness, and though Edmonton pounded away he held firm.
There could be a contender who is looking for a veteran presence with playoff success, and he is one of the best goalies in the league when he’s healthy.
Stolarz, 31, has a 7-7-1 record with a 3.55 GAA and .882 SV% and did miss two months of the season with an injury.
But with the Maple Leafs having just signed him to an extension, and the upper management looking to still make a playoff push despite that potentially being out of their best interest; Stolarz could be in town for awhile.
Though don’t count out the package that he could bring back, and if it’s too good to pass up — Toronto can’t afford to.
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