Maple Leafs place Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve with lower-body injury

One of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top netminders will be out longer than expected.

On Sunday, the team placed goaltender Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve with a lower-body injury retroactive to Dec. 12.

Per the NHL’s IR rules, Stolarz is ineligible to return to the lineup until the Maple Leafs’ game on Dec. 20 against the Buffalo Sabres. He was initially listed as day-to-day, but obviously, the injury is worse than originally projected.

Stolarz was hurt during Toronto’s 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday. He played the entire first period but didn’t return for the second. The 30-year-old was already ruled out for this weekend’s games, as the team called up Dennis Hildeby from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

The Edison, New Jersey native signed a two-year contract with the Leafs this past summer, carrying a cap hit of $2.5 million through the 2025-26 season. Stolarz quickly took the reins as the No. 1 goaltender after Joseph Woll suffered an injury prior to the start of the regular season. Through 17 starts this year, Stolarz has a record of 9-5-2 with a 2.15 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage and one shutout.

The elevated role is something new for Stolarz. For most of his career, he has been the No. 2 netminder. Yet, even in that role, Stolarz played a key role for the Florida Panthers last year, backing up Sergei Bobrovsky as the team went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The Maple Leafs (18-10-2) are tied with the Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division. Toronto is in action on Sunday, hosting the Sabres.