The Toronto Maple Leafs took care of a major piece of business on Sunday, announcing the contract extension of goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
The Leafs signed Stolarz to a four-year, $15 million contract. The deal comes with a $3.75 million AAV. The deal crosses off another huge task from Brad Treliving’s to-do list.
The signing potentially gives the club certainty in the crease moving forward. The extension comes at the perfect time, given Joseph Woll’s indeterminate leave of absence. The signing of James Reimer to a PTO last week also gives the Maple Leafs stability in the crease heading into the season.
But there are various reasons why the Maple Leafs hit a home run with Anthony Stolarz’s extension.
3 Reasons Why Toronto Maple Leafs Got It Right with Stolarz Extension
The AAV is a bargain
When considering the going rate for starting netminders, Stolarz’s $3.75 million AAV is a bargain. The run-of-the-mill starting goalie generally goes for about $5 million. High-end goalies fetch around $8 million, while elite goalies are at $10 million-plus.
While Stolarz may not be in the list of elite goalies just yet, he’s making a case. Stolarz has had the NHL’s best save percentage the last couple of seasons. He’s also shown to be reliable when thrust into a full-time role.
Despite the unfortunate injury in last year’s playoffs, Stolarz was one of the biggest reasons why the Maple Leafs got past the first round. It’s also fair to assume that if Stolarz hadn’t been injured in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs could have made it to the Conference Finals at the very least.
Stolarz wanted to be with the Maple Leafs
The chatter surrounding the negotiations between the Maple Leafs and Stolarz was that the 31-year-old netminder wanted to stay in Toronto. There wasn’t any question about him leaving. The entire saga was about completing the deal.
That situation should have been like shooting fish in a barrel. But what made the outcome even more impressive is that Stolarz didn’t try to take advantage of the Maple Leafs’ precarious situation. He could have pushed for a more expensive deal, given the uncertainty surrounding Woll.
Instead, Stolarz proved he’s a real class act by doing what was best for the team. That situation speaks volumes about Stolarz’s character, and it shows how committed this team is to winning.
Leafs have cap space heading into next season
The biggest benefit of Stolarz’s team-friendly deal is that the Leafs have cap space heading into next season. The cap ceiling will go up by about $9 million. Only a fraction of that will go toward paying Stolarz.
The remaining cap space can be allocated to keeping other players or potentially attracting other free-agent options. Most importantly, the Maple Leafs will have flexibility. That is possible thanks to Stolarz cutting the club a huge break.
If Stolarz and the Maple Leafs go on to win a Stanley Cup in the next couple of seasons, fans will look back at this signing as a crucial turning point in getting there.