Anthony Stolarz reveals the reason behind his Maple Leafs free agency decision

Despite optimism heading into 2023/24, the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending failed them when they needed them most in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it led to the departure of Ilya Samsonov in free agency. Coming in to replace him was Anthony Stolarz, who is coming off a career year where he posted a 2.03 GAA and a .925 save percentage across 37 appearances, bringing more confidence to this talented group.

Now, in a recent interview, he has revealed the motivation behind joining the Maple Leafs and all the pressure that comes with playing in the NHL's biggest market in Toronto.

The main reason behind his decision was the combination of potential playing time and the opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup, something that he wouldn't get in Florida after sitting behind superstar Sergei Bobrovsky for the majority of the 2023/24 campaign. It's unclear just how much time he'll get in net with Joseph Woll emerging as a talent in the post-season, but Stolarz reveals he has already reached out and begun building his relationship with his partner for the years ahead.

Confidence has been high in Toronto with their goaltending before, and it feels that way again as training camp nears, so now we will see if this duo can stand up when it matters most and lead Toronto on a deep playoff run.

Source: Hockey Feed
Anthony Stolarz reveals why he joined Leafs