Maple Leafs Goalie Anthony Stolarz Hospitalized After Warmup Injury

OTTAWA – Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was taken to a hospital for precautionary imaging after being struck in the throat by a puck during warmups on Saturday, March 22, 2026. He was later released, but missed the team’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

Incident Details

Forward William Nylander accidentally shot the puck, which deflected and hit Stolarz in the neck area during pre-game warmups. Nylander expressed immediate concern for his teammate, stating he typically shoots pucks into the glove but this shot went slightly off course. He confirmed he had been texting with Stolarz, who “seems to be OK.”

Game Impact and Joseph Woll’s Performance

With Stolarz unavailable, Joseph Woll started in net for the Maple Leafs, making 38 saves in a 5-2 loss to the Senators. Woll had also started the previous night, recording 32 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Toronto forward John Tavares acknowledged the difficult circumstances, emphasizing the team’s need to rally around Woll and play a full 60 minutes. He reported seeing Stolarz before he left for the hospital and that he “seemed to be doing OK,” adding that precautions were being taken.

Stolarz’s Season Stats and Contract

Prior to the injury, Stolarz had an 8-9-3 record with a 3.34 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage in 22 games (21 starts) this season. He previously missed 33 games earlier in the season due to an upper-body injury.

Stolarz is in his second season with the Maple Leafs, having previously contributed to the Florida Panthers’ 2024 Stanley Cup victory as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup. He signed a four-year, $15 million contract ($3.75 million average annual value) with Toronto on September 28, 2022, extending through the 2029-30 season.

Career Overview

Originally a second-round pick (No. 45) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Draft, Stolarz has a career record of 72-48-15 with a 2.65 GAA, .914 save percentage, and 23 shutouts in 164 regular-season games (137 starts) across five teams: the Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Panthers, and Maple Leafs. He also has a 4-2 record with a 2.43 GAA and .894 save percentage in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games (seven starts).

Playoff Implications

As of March 22, 2026, the Toronto Maple Leafs (29-29-13) are 13 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.