Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will undergo knee surgery and miss four to six weeks, general manager Brad Treliving said Tuesday.
Stolarz left the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win over Anaheim on Thursday with a lower-body injury.
Treliving said a subsequent MRI revealed no structural damage to Stolarz’s knee, but that he was experiencing discomfort and difficulty straightening his leg due to a loose body – a small piece of bone or broken cartilage.
“We almost found a little rock stuck behind his knee,” Treliving told reporters.
Related Videos
Stolarz will undergo the body removal procedure on Wednesday in New York.
Receive national news daily
Get the day’s top news, politics, business and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day.
He got off to a good start in his first season with the Maple Leafs with a 9-5-2 record, 2.15 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and one shutout.
“You don’t want to see anyone go out, especially a goalie who’s playing well like that,” Treliving said. “But it needs to be addressed, and we’re going to do it.”
Stolarz, of Edison, New Jersey, signed a two-year, US$5 million contract with the Leafs as a free agent after winning the Stanley Cup as a backup with the Panthers Florida in June. He shared his time in net for the Leafs this season with Joseph Woll.
Also Tuesday, the Maple Leafs announced that forward Fraser Minten had been sent to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
The 20-year-old has two goals and two assists in 11 games since his recall on November 20.
The Maple Leafs are expected to return to action Wednesday night against the Stars in Dallas.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published December 17, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press