The Toronto Maple Leafs are talking extension with Anthony Stolarz. What could his deal look like?
First Up: Chris Johnston on the Toronto Maple Leafs talking to pending UFA goaltender Anthony Stolarz and what an extension could look like.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Johnston: “Well I mean, it’s something the Leafs have been at for a little while now. And, you know, I think it makes sense to try to see if there’s something both sides can, can agree to at this point in time. I mean, obviously, Stolarz was, you know, had a really successful run last year with the team.
If you look ahead, you know, 2026 free agency at the goaltending position isn’t exactly brimming with great options. You know, if you can get some certainty, I think that there’s value for a player, especially one like Stolarz, who’s bounced around a bit in his career and obviously is piled through some injury-related issues.
So, you know, I suppose there’ll be a little risk in that contract if it gets done on both ends of the equation. You know, I think that the money has to make some sense from the Leafs side of things, of course. And you know, for Stoll, ours, he would be balancing what happens if I have a great year this year, it could be a UFA. Maybe his market goes higher in the cap environment.
So, you know, I don’t know if they’re going to get it done but, but certainly they’ve had a lot of conversations and been trying to make it happen.”
Host: “C.J., what do you predict that contract could potentially look like? I, I suggested this morning that my belief is somewhere between three and a four year deal and somewhere between $5 and $6 million a year. Is that pretty accurate?”
Johnston: “Well, I think your term is bang on. I don’t know if the money gets there, honestly. I mean, that’s probably the trickiest part right now, and not just with the Stolarz conversations, but really, any player you know, trying to make a deal at this point in time. You know, I think there’s a lot of reticence to make a bad deal, because obviously everyone’s getting paid more with the cap jumping up.
But, you know, I would think that Woll’s at what 3.7 give or take? You know, I think it would be a little bit above that, but I don’t know if it gets up into the fives to make it happen. I think that’s probably where the sticking point is right now, and we’ll see, you know, if either side is willing to bend or compromise to make something happen.”
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