TORONTO — Another good news, bad news day for Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending.
As Joseph Woll makes his return from a lower-body injury Tuesday versus the Chicago Blackhawks, the mystery around Anthony Stolarz’s undisclosed injury lingers.
Stolarz still has not skated since going down Nov. 11 in Boston with what was then characterized as a minor upper-body injury.
The goaltender has suffered at least one setback and will soon see a specialist.
“Hopefully we get some good news out of it and (the doctor) can help him a little bit, because he’s not making the progress that we thought he’d make,” coach Craig Berube said Tuesday morning.
Asked if Stolarz has a concussion, Berube said, “No. One hundred per cent not.”
Stolarz, 31, has a long history of knee issues and set a new career high in games played (34) last season, which helped him earn a four-year, $15-million contract extension in Toronto.
The Maple Leafs have admitted to overworking Stolarz at the start of the season, and Woll started eight of nine games upon his rejoining the team in mid-November.
Third-stringer Dennis Hildeby (.923) held down the fort nicely during Woll’s 12-day recovery, and the Leafs are leaning toward a more balanced workload between Woll and Hildeby as the wait on Stolarz continues.
“Definitely. I mean, we all know overloading them is tough a little bit at times, depending on the goalie,” Berube said.
“So, it’s nice that Dennis came in and played well, has got some confidence here, and we have confidence in him. So, we have confidence in both goalies. Rotate them a little more.”
The Maple Leafs have already used five goaltenders this season.
They have combined for a .897 save percentage, which rates 11th-best leaguewide.
