Stolarz, Liljegren & Other Early Maple Leafs’ Knee Jerk Reactions

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Frankly, the “too-early-to-hit-the-panic-button” content is patronizing and overdone. People who watch the sport know they don’t need to overreact to trends after a handful of games in an 82-game season. The supposed panic pales in comparison to the cacophony of voices warning people not to panic.

Still, there are always knee-jerk narratives that set in pretty quickly. Toronto Maple Leafs fans might not be willing to write off Auston Matthews amidst a three-game pointless “slump”, but others seem ready to anoint Anthony Stolarz the new starter in net. If Joseph Woll returns to the lineup and enjoys a few strong outings, those fans could be singing a different tune.

I promise I won’t use the words “panic” or “button” again, but a few opinions about the Maple Leafs seem to be forming pretty early on in the 2024-25 campaign.

Anthony Stolarz the No. 1 Goalie

Stolarz has made the most of the opportunity created by Woll’s ill-timed lower-body injury to begin the season. The 30-year-old has been a revelation through two games, posting a 1.54 goals-against average and stopping 47 of 50 shots for a .940 save percentage. He already occupied that murky middle ground between backup and tandem goaltender, and now comes the hot takes about whether he should be No. 1.

Anthony Stolarz Toronto Maple Leafs
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Had Stolarz outplayed Woll through three games, it would be an extremely small sample size, but at least a reasonable argument to roll with the hot goalie. Unfortunately, an injury that may ultimately only cost Woll a few games has taken on what seems to be an outsized level of hand-wringing based on the 26-year-old’s spotty injury history.

Having a backup who can take the reins with Woll out is a nice problem to have (not to mention the encouraging NHL debut from Dennis Hildeby last week). However, that doesn’t alter the depth chart. After all, Stolarz has never played more than 28 games in a season, and if Woll continues to take steps toward a return to the lineup, this early-season absence will look like a blip in an otherwise-successful campaign.

Craig Berube Has the Leafs Playing Heavier & Tougher

Through three games, the Maple Leafs look different – and new head coach Craig Berube is central to that change. The club is adapting to his brand of simple, heavy, north-south hockey, and the early returns are encouraging. Still, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Yes, Toronto has shown improved defence, allowing just five goals through the first three games, but it’s not like the old Maple Leafs under Sheldon Keefe were engaging in 8-7 shootouts every night. In the final three games of their seven-game first-round series loss to the Boston Bruins last spring, the team surrendered only four goals. The club has demonstrated the ability to employ tough-minded, defensive tactics. It will be a test of Berube’s impact to see if they can make it a part of their collective identity.

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Timothy Liljegren Must Go

Despite an encouraging start filled with signs of promise, the Maple Leafs can’t escape the fact that they are a cap-strapped team paying their eighth defenceman $3 million to sit in the press box. We’ve already discussed at length the headaches created by Timothy Liljegren’s two-year contract extension and reports that the front office is actively looking to move him. Perhaps that’s premature?

Like Woll, Liljegren has yet to appear in a regular-season game. His absence from the lineup has more to do with failing to make an impact in training camp than any injury, but the 25-year-old Swede still deserves a regular-season opportunity. It’s not as though Conor Timmins has performed at such a high level that Liljegren should be left in the dust.

Liljegren will get his opportunity tonight (Oct. 16) when he slots in for Timmins against the Los Angeles Kings, and a strong showing could give him a leg up on Timmins in the ongoing battle for the No. 7 spot on the blue line. Granted, even that slot still doesn’t warrant a $3 million cap hit, but there is something to his game that warranted the two-year extension. Why not see if Liljegren can prove himself worthy of the financial investment – at least until Jani Hakanpaa returns to push him down the depth chart and further cloud the cap situation?

Maple Leafs’ Power Play is a Mess

For the last few years, the Maple Leafs have partnered with Popeyes Chicken in a promotion that allows fans with the team’s official app to get eight free chicken nuggets with the purchase of a drink when the team scores a power-play goal at home. So, yes, the power-play drought (they are 0-for-9 this season) has implications that extend beyond the ice.

That said, the weight of the power-play issue depends on how it’s framed. Compared to last season, it could certainly improve. Toronto finished seventh in the league with a solid 23.95% success rate and notched four power-play goals in their first two games. They were successful until the playoffs when the unit scored just once in seven games.

Compared to the rest of the league, however, there is less cause for concern. They are one of four teams without a power-play goal to date (the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks are the others) and just one goal shy of seven other clubs who only have one. A goal on their next power play would put their percentage at 20%, which isn’t far off their pace from last season. It won’t take much for them to get back on track.

Every game, especially early in the season, offers new insight into the Maple Leafs. Tonight’s contest against the Kings will present a new batch of talking points. Who knows, maybe a rough outing from Stolarz will raise a new set of goaltending questions. Maybe Liljegren has a big game and Timmins’ future in Toronto is called into question. Heck, a few power-play goals could produce glowing headlines about how dangerous the unit can be. The point is that attitudes and opinions about the team are ever-evolving. Just don’t panic (whoops, I said it).

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