Does Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz deserve a spot on USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster?
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ goaltender Anthony Stolarz is turning heads around the league with his blazing start to the season. So much so, he’s put himself into the conversation for Team USA’s best options in goal for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Stolarz, who signed a two-year $5-million contract with the Maple Leafs in July, is off to a strong 8-4-2 start in blue and white, with a stellar .924 save percentage and 2.23 goals against average. This comes after a Stanley Cup winning season with the Florida Panthers, where Stolarz posted a league leading .925 save percentage.
With the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters being announced this week, Stolarz has skyrocketed up potential depth charts and has put himself in the same category as Winnipeg Jets’ netminder Connor Hellebuyck, Dallas Stars‘ Jake Oettinger, and Boston Bruins‘ starter Jeremy Swayman.
Stolarz is a native of Edison, NJ and has represented his country at the 2014 World Junior Hockey Championships. He now awaits the news this week, to find out if he’s going to get a chance to represent his country at the 4 Nations Face Off.
On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli was joined by Colby Cohen and discussed Stolarz’s chances of making Team USA:
Seravalli: Should Anthony Stolarz make Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off? I mean, the numbers tell a story, but do you actually think he makes it? 66% of our poll answers says – ‘No’.
Cohen: I would agree with the group. And, honestly, going into today, I thought it was actually a ridiculous question, but I tell you, I brought Carter Hutton onto Morning Cuppa and I asked him. He brought up something that really resonated with me, as someone who has never played the position I never would have thought about, but you need a guy that’s ok being our third goalie.
A guy that’s probably not going to play much, and if he does have to go in, it’s probably a bit of a dumpster fire. He’s been a backup his entire career, he’s been used to situations where you’re almost getting fed to the wolves. Where you don’t play, you don’t play, you don’t play, and then – boom, things are going bad and we have to get you in to rest the other guy. In that regard, maybe it is a smart move.
Jeremy Swayman hasn’t played good hockey in Boston, he really hasn’t, I think one and two we know, it’s going to be Hellebuyck with a longer leash and then Oettinger probably right on his heels. Now, if Thatcher Demko is healthy, this isn’t even a conversation. But look, I watched Toronto play last night, the guy played really well, yes it was against Chicago, but it doesn’t matter. They’re NHL players, he makes NHL-caliber saves, he’s big, and it’s probably better for the Maple Leafs if he doesn’t make it, because he’s never played a ton of games, and he has had injury problems.
But, before Carter Hutton made the point that he made to me, I thought this was ridiculous, after hearing it there is an argument to be made.
Seravalli: Yeah, I think there’s an argument to be made, but I don’t know that I’d make it for a lot of the reasons you’ve mentioned. He’s never been counted on to be the guy, if you actually need him. Being the third goalie, being the 13th forward, being the seventh defenseman, those are conversations that these teams have all been having over the last few weeks. They’ve been calling around saying – hey if I pick your guy and he’s not playing, how’s he going to handle it? And, I think that part is certainly important when building a team like this.
For more on the Maple Leafs, the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters and the very latest from around the entire NHL, watch the full episode here.