Anthony Stolarz Bio
Anthony Stolarz, born on January 20, 1994, is an American professional ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing roughly 243 pounds, Stolarz uses his size to his advantage in net and plays the position left-handed. He previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Florida Panthers, and is best known by the nickname Stolie.
Over the course of his career, Stolarz has built a reputation as a steady and composed goaltender, most notably helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in 2024. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, 45th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and he has been active in professional hockey since 2014. Now anchoring the crease in Toronto, he continues to be recognized as one of the league’s most reliable shot-stoppers.
Early Life and Background
Anthony Stolarz was born on January 20, 1994, in Edison, New Jersey, and was raised in Jackson, where he grew up surrounded by hockey culture. As a young fan of the New Jersey Devils, he idolized legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur and spent countless hours watching old Brodeur and Ron Hextall highlights with his older brother, Todd, who also played goaltender. The brothers often discussed the finer points of goaltending while watching games together, and Anthony’s curiosity about the position shaped his early development.
Always tall for his age, Stolarz began playing in the butterfly style at eight or nine years old, using the technique to take advantage of his large frame. He moved through the New Jersey youth hockey ranks, playing tournaments in Wildwood and Vineland, and appeared at the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a Devils minor hockey affiliate. He later joined the Devils’ under-16 youth national team in 2009, continuing his steady climb through the amateur ranks.
Stolarz spent his freshman year at St. John Vianney High School before transferring to Jackson Memorial, where he played both hockey and basketball for two years. During his junior and senior years, he experienced a major growth spurt that took him from 6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 5 inches. He then relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, to join the Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League, marking the beginning of his path toward professional hockey.
Path to Hockey
Stolarz began the 2010–11 season with the New Jersey Hitmen of the Empire Junior Hockey League, posting a 10–4–0 record with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 16 appearances. The following year, he joined the Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League, where he played 50 games and recorded a 23–22–4–3 record, 2.84 goals-against average, and .920 save percentage, including three shutouts.
Entering the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Stolarz fourth among all North American goaltending prospects, and he was the only North American Hockey League player invited to the 2012 NHL Draft Combine. Selected 45th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, he then accepted a scholarship to play college hockey at the University of Nebraska Omaha, briefly appearing for the Omaha Mavericks before choosing the Ontario Hockey League route.
After playing only eight games with Omaha, Stolarz left the school and joined the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, where he quickly became the starting goaltender. He posted a 38–8–4 record with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage across two seasons and 55 games with the Knights, establishing himself as one of the top young goaltending prospects in North America.
Anthony Stolarz Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Stolarz signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 1, 2013, and began his professional career with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. In 2014, he underwent hip surgery, which forced him to miss the Flyers’ development camp, but he returned to action for the 2014–15 season, going 9–13–14 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 31 games.
The following season showed clear improvement, as Stolarz posted a 21–18–7 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. On March 2, 2016, he set a Phantoms franchise record for saves in a single game, stopping 51 shots in a 3–2 shootout win over the Syracuse Crunch. He and teammate Nick Cousins also represented Lehigh Valley at the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic, signaling his rising profile within the organization.
Philadelphia Flyers Era (2016–2019)
After several recalls without appearing in an NHL game, Stolarz made his NHL debut on November 27, 2016, in a 5–3 victory over the Calgary Flames, becoming the first goaltender born in New Jersey to play in an NHL game. He went on to play seven games with the Flyers in the 2016–17 season, including one shutout against the Detroit Red Wings, finishing with a 2–1–1 record, 2.07 goals-against average, and .928 save percentage.
His progress was slowed by injuries beginning in April 2017, when he underwent surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Months later, in September 2017, he had a second procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, causing him to miss nearly the entire 2017–18 season. Stolarz returned for rehab assignments with the Reading Royals of the ECHL and one appearance with the Phantoms, working his way back into the Flyers’ goaltending picture.
Re-signed to a one-year, two-way contract in July 2018, Stolarz split the 2018–19 season between the Phantoms and the Flyers, eventually serving as one of the team’s primary goaltenders alongside rookie Carter Hart. On January 29, 2019, he recorded a 1–0 shutout of the New York Rangers, and in his final Flyers appearance on February 12, 2019, he made 35 saves in a 5–4 win over the Minnesota Wild. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers three days later in exchange for goaltender Cam Talbot.
Edmonton Oilers Era (2019)
Stolarz made his Oilers debut on February 27, 2019, replacing starter Mikko Koskinen during a 6–2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He earned his first start for Edmonton on March 9, 2019, in a 3–2 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs. Across 18 combined games with the Flyers and Oilers that season, he posted a 4–5–3 record with a 3.45 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. He became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the campaign.
Anaheim Ducks Era (2019–2023)
On July 3, 2019, Stolarz signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks as a free agent, though he was assigned to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL to begin his time in the organization. He had a strong 2019–20 season with the Gulls, going 21–12–5 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 38 games while also representing the team at the AHL All-Star Classic. He was called up to the Ducks on March 1, 2020, and made his Anaheim debut on March 11, 2020, in the final regular-season game before the NHL paused play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making 33 saves in a 4–2 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
On January 7, 2021, the Ducks signed Stolarz to a two-year contract extension, and he began earning more responsibility in the NHL. On March 28, 2021, he stopped 38 shots in a 3–2 overtime win over the Blues, recording his first NHL victory since February 12, 2019. He later set a Ducks franchise record for saves in a shutout on April 12, 2021, stopping 46 pucks in a 4–0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Across eight appearances that shortened 2021 season, he posted a 4–3–0 record, 2.20 goals-against average, .926 save percentage, and one shutout.
Florida Panthers Era (2023–2024)
Following four seasons within the Ducks organization, Stolarz signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2023, joining a deep goaltending group that included Sergei Bobrovsky. He appeared in regular-season games for the Panthers before making his NHL playoff debut on June 15, 2024, in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Stolarz ultimately won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024, capping a remarkable late-career breakthrough for the goaltender who had battled injuries throughout his earlier years.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2024–Present)
After winning the Stanley Cup in Florida, Stolarz signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2024, establishing himself as a key piece of the team’s goaltending tandem. In his first season with Toronto, he led the entire NHL in save percentage, finishing the 2024–25 campaign with a .926 mark. That same year, he placed fifth in voting for the Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s top goaltender, cementing his place among the NHL’s elite netminders.
On September 29, 2025, Stolarz agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs, signaling the franchise’s long-term commitment to him. He continues to serve as a stabilizing presence in the Toronto crease, building on his late-career surge with the Panthers and his outstanding first season in blue and white.
Driving Style and Strengths
Stolarz relies on his imposing 6-foot-6 frame to cover large portions of the net, and he has used the butterfly style since childhood to maximize the effectiveness of his height. He is particularly effective in high-volume shooting games, with a knack for producing signature save performances, such as his 51-save game for the Phantoms and his 46-save shutout for the Ducks. His calm, technical approach has allowed him to bounce back from serious knee injuries and establish himself as a top NHL starter.
Notable Events and Milestones
Stolarz became the first goaltender born in New Jersey to play in an NHL game when he debuted for the Flyers in 2016. He won his first NHL game in over two years on March 28, 2021, with the Ducks, and he set a Ducks franchise record for saves in a shutout later that same season. His biggest career milestone came in 2024, when he won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers before earning a major contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs the following summer.
Anthony Stolarz Career Wins
Across the American Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and National Hockey League, Anthony Stolarz has compiled a strong resume of wins, including league-leading save percentage marks and a Stanley Cup championship. His career has been marked by resilience, as he has rebounded from multiple surgeries to establish himself as a starting-caliber NHL goaltender.
NHL Highlights
Stolarz recorded his first NHL win on November 27, 2016, with the Philadelphia Flyers, a 5–3 victory over the Calgary Flames, and added a shutout against the Detroit Red Wings later that same season. After a long stretch without an NHL victory, he earned his next win on March 28, 2021, as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. He capped his NHL regular-season resume by leading the league in save percentage in 2024–25 with the Maple Leafs, finishing fifth in Vezina Trophy voting.
Other Wins and Performances
In the Ontario Hockey League with the London Knights, Stolarz went 38–8–4 with a 2.43 goals-against average and .924 save percentage across 55 games. With the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, he set a franchise record for saves in a single game and represented the team at the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic, while also appearing in the 2014 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships for the United States.
Anthony Stolarz Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Anthony Stolarz grew up in a hockey family in New Jersey, where he developed his love for the game alongside his older brother, Todd, who also played goaltender in youth and junior hockey. The brothers spent much of their childhood watching and studying Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur, and Anthony credits those early conversations with Todd as a key influence on his own development between the pipes.
Personal Life
Public details about Anthony Stolarz’s personal life are limited, as he tends to keep his family and relationships out of the spotlight. He is known to share a strong bond with his brother Todd, and his parents played an important role in supporting his unconventional path from the University of Nebraska Omaha to the Ontario Hockey League. He is based in Toronto while playing for the Maple Leafs.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year is shaping up to be a defining one for Anthony Stolarz and the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially after the goaltender agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract extension on September 29, 2025. That deal underscored the organization’s confidence in Stolarz following his first season in Toronto, when he led the NHL in save percentage and finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting.
Heading into the 2025–26 NHL season, Stolarz is expected to share the Toronto crease with another goaltender, providing the Maple Leafs with one of the more reliable tandems in the league. His track record of performing well in heavy shot-volume games, combined with his durable offseason preparation, positions him to remain a central figure in the Maple Leafs’ pursuit of a deep playoff run.
For Stolarz personally, the 2025 season offers a chance to build on a late-career surge that has taken him from journeyman backup to Stanley Cup champion and Vezina Trophy finalist. With his long-term future in Toronto secured, the focus shifts to chasing another Stanley Cup and cementing his legacy as one of the most accomplished goaltenders of his generation.
