Anthony Stolarz got some much-needed rest after having the entire Saturday off.
The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender wasn’t in the lineup for the team’s overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres. Toronto wanted to give him time off his feet, so they called up Dennis Hildeby from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, with Cayden Primeau starting in goal.
Stolarz has carried the workload for Toronto to begin the season, with Joseph Woll taking a leave of absence from the team (he’s officially back now). The 31-year-old has started in seven of the Maple Leafs’ first nine games of the year.
Following Toronto’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, where Stolarz stopped 25 of 30 shots, the goaltender spoke to the media with ice bags on both of his knees. He said on Monday afternoon that his body feels great, and that Saturday’s day off was more of just a mental rest day.
“For me, I just kind of took it easy, slept in a bit, and got to the rink and did some rehab stuff, did a little bike ride, and just kind of relaxed and watched the game. If anything, it was more of like a mental break than physical. Like I said, the body feels great. You know, for me, I’m just excited to get back out there.”
It hasn’t been the best start to the season for Stolarz, and even he himself admitted it. He has an .885 save percentage, putting him 43rd among goaltenders who’ve played two or more games this season.
In the seven games he’s appeared in, Stolarz has a save percentage above .900 only twice.
“I think he was thrust into this situation with the Woll situation,” Berube said, when asked about Stolarz’s night off on Saturday. “So he’s played a lot more than he’s normally used to playing. Yeah, so it’s just more of a mental side of a break for him.”
Last March, Stolarz played in eight of Toronto’s 15 games that month. He only had a save percentage above .900 twice in that span, which was a heavier workload month compared to others. Clearly, the workload has an effect on his performance, last year and early this season.
The goaltender finished last season with a .926 save percentage through 34 games.
But he concluded that, despite having a night off on Saturday, the physical side of the game is no problem for him.
“Yeah, I mean, my body feels good, everything’s great. Like I said, I prepared for this in the offseason,” Stolarz said.
“Obviously, the numbers aren’t there for what I want. But, at the end of the day, it’s a long season, and for me, it’s just continuing to work, continuing to battle… But for me, I think it’s just dialling it in a little more, making that one more save, just whether it’s to keep the score tied or to keep it a one-goal game, or preserve the lead.
“I think right now, as a goalie, that’s my job. And for me, I’m just going to continue to go out there, work, battle, and I feel good where I’m at right now. But there’s always room for improvement. And, you know, I’m looking forward to getting back in there.”
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