Anthony Stolarz has no doubt Sergei Bobrovsky will find his game in Toronto. Speaking before the Maple Leafs opened a six-game homestand, Stolarz said his goaltending partner’s track record is reason enough for the room to stay patient through an uneven first month.
“It’s super strong,” Stolarz said Monday about Bobrovsky’s ability to bounce back, in comments shared on X by Anna Dua. “Like I keep reiterating he’s one of the more battle-tested guys in this league and he’s played in three Stanley Cup finals, he’s played in the Olympics… I’ve seen him at his best. Just one h**l of a goalie, the way he works day in and day out. The proof’s in the pudding and you know he’ll get back on track here and be coming up big for us coming forward.”
The numbers explain the questions. Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract as a free agent on July 1, is 3-5-2 with an .885 save percentage and a 3.29 goals-against average, per Sportsnet. He allowed five goals in a 5-4 loss in Seattle last week, and according to the Toronto Sun he has given up three or more in nine of his 10 starts. Stolarz’s 5-1-0 record over the same stretch has fueled debate about how coach Jim Hiller should split the starts.
Anthony Stolarz leans on Bobrovsky’s big-game history
Bobrovsky reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Florida Panthers in 2023, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights, then backstopped them to titles in 2024 and 2025, both against the Edmonton Oilers. He was also on Russia’s roster at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Anthony Stolarz was his backup during the 2024 championship season, so he has watched the preparation up close.
Hiller offered a similar view of that routine. “He does everything possible to give himself the chance to be set up perfectly for the game,” Hiller said, per Sportsnet. “I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s so impressive to watch.”
General manager John Chayka made the same case last week, telling reporters the Leafs brought Bobrovsky in to be “there when the pressure ramps up,” per the Toronto Star.
Anthony Stolarz, for his part, has been the steadier option. He is 5-1-0 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average, and he made 26 saves in Saturday’s 4-2 win at Vancouver that pushed Toronto to 8-6-2. Bobrovsky is expected to start Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth to open the homestand.
Edited by Sonali Verma
