Anthony Stolarz Bio
Anthony Stolarz is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed Stolie, he plays a tall, technically refined butterfly style and has built his career around durability and steady improvement between the pipes. Throughout his professional journey, Stolarz has worn the jerseys of the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a Stanley Cup champion, having won the league’s top prize in 2024 with the Florida Panthers.
Born in Edison, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Jackson Township, Stolarz developed his love for the position watching childhood heroes like Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall. After a long road through junior, college and minor-league hockey, he worked his way into the NHL and became the first goaltender born in New Jersey to play a league game.
Early Life and Background
Anthony Stolarz was born on January 20, 1994, in Edison, New Jersey, and grew up in Jackson Township. A devoted New Jersey Devils fan as a child, he idolized Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur and watched old game tapes with his older brother Todd, who also played goal. Those living-room study sessions helped shape Stolarz’s early understanding of positioning and rebound control.
Always tall for his age, Stolarz began playing the goaltender position in the butterfly style when he was eight or nine years old. As a youth player in New Jersey, he competed in tournaments in Wildwood and Vineland. In 2007, he appeared in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a Devils minor-hockey affiliate, and in 2009, he played for the Devils’ under-16 youth national team.
After spending his freshman year at St. John Vianney High School, Stolarz transferred to Jackson Memorial High School, where he played two years of hockey and also suited up for the basketball team. During his junior and senior years of high school, a significant growth spurt carried him from 6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 5 inches, helping set the stage for his eventual 6-foot-6 frame as a professional.
Path to Hockey
Stolarz’s competitive junior career began with the New Jersey Hitmen of the Empire Junior Hockey League, where he posted a 10–4–0 record in 16 appearances during the 2010–11 season. The following year, he moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, joining the Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League, where he appeared in 50 games and recorded three shutouts.
Heading into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Stolarz fourth among North American goaltending prospects, and he was the only NAHL player invited to the NHL Draft Combine. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the second round, 45th overall. That summer, he accepted a scholarship to play college hockey at the University of Nebraska Omaha, but after only eight games with the Mavericks, he left school and signed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.
With London, Stolarz developed into a top junior starter, going 13–3–2 over the final 20 games of the 2012–13 regular season. The following year, he posted a 38–8–4 record across his two seasons with the Knights, a 2.43 goals against average and a .924 save percentage, numbers that cemented his readiness for the professional ranks.
Anthony Stolarz Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
Stolarz signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Flyers on March 1, 2013. After undergoing hip surgery in May 2014, he spent the 2014–15 season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, posting a 9–13–14 record in 31 appearances. He improved the following year, finishing 2015–16 with a 21–18–7 mark and a .916 save percentage, and on March 2, 2016, he set a Phantoms franchise record with 51 saves in a 3–2 shootout win over the Syracuse Crunch.
His strong AHL play earned him a brief taste of the NHL. On November 27, 2016, Stolarz made his NHL debut in a 5–3 victory over the Calgary Flames, becoming the first goaltender born in New Jersey to appear in an NHL game. Across seven appearances that season, he recorded a 2–1–1 record, a 2.07 goals against average and a .928 save percentage, including a shutout of the Detroit Red Wings.
Philadelphia Flyers Breakthrough (2016–2019)
Stolarz’s progress with the Flyers was slowed by a pair of knee surgeries, including a medial collateral ligament repair in April 2017 and a torn left meniscus procedure in September 2017. He spent most of the 2017–18 season on rehab assignments with the Reading Royals of the ECHL and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, gradually working his way back to full health.
Re-signed to a one-year, two-way contract in July 2018, Stolarz became a key part of the Flyers’ goaltending picture by January 2019, when injuries to Michal Neuvirth, Alex Lyon and Brian Elliott thrust him into a larger role alongside rookie Carter Hart. On January 29, 2019, he shut out the New York Rangers 1–0, and on February 12, 2019, he made 35 saves in a 5–4 win over the Minnesota Wild in his final game with the organization.
Edmonton Oilers Stint (2019)
On February 15, 2019, the Flyers traded Stolarz to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Cam Talbot. He made his Oilers debut on February 27, 2019, replacing starter Mikko Koskinen in a 6–2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and made his first start for Edmonton on March 9, 2019, in a 3–2 overtime loss to the same opponent. Across 18 combined games for the Flyers and Oilers that season, Stolarz finished with a 4–5–3 record, one shutout and a .901 save percentage.
Anaheim Ducks Era (2019–2023)
After reaching free agency, Stolarz signed a two-season, $1.5 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 3, 2019. He spent the bulk of the 2019–20 campaign with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, going 21–12–5 with a .922 save percentage, before earning a recall to Anaheim. On March 11, 2020, he made his first start for the Ducks in what proved to be the team’s final game before the NHL paused play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stolarz signed a two-year extension with Anaheim on January 7, 2021, and rebounded strongly that spring. On March 28, 2021, he stopped 38 shots in a 3–2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues for his first NHL victory in more than two years. Two weeks later, on April 12, 2021, he set a Ducks franchise record for saves in a shutout by stopping 46 shots in a 4–0 win over the San Jose Sharks.
Florida Panthers and Stanley Cup (2023–2024)
Stolarz signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2023. As part of the Panthers’ goaltending tandem, he provided steady support during the 2024 playoff run, 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 Florida in 2024, the defining achievement of his career to date.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2024–Present)
Following the Panthers’ championship run, Stolarz hit unrestricted free agency and signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2024. The deal gave him a fresh opportunity to expand his role as a starting-caliber NHL goaltender on one of the league’s most closely followed teams. On September 29, 2025, Stolarz agreed to a four-year, $15 million extension with the Maple Leafs, locking in his long-term future in Toronto.
Driving Style and Strengths
Stolarz plays a modern butterfly style built around his 6-foot-6 frame, allowing him to cover the bottom of the net with minimal movement. He reads plays efficiently, tracks the puck well through screens, and has developed into a reliable puck-handler behind the blue line. His calm demeanor and willingness to track pucks aggressively have made him a steady presence during high-pressure stretches.
Notable Events and Milestones
Becoming the first New Jersey-born goaltender to play in the NHL in 2016, setting a Phantoms franchise record with 51 saves in 2016, establishing a Ducks record for saves in a shutout in 2021, and winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024 are the signature achievements of Stolarz’s career so far.
Anthony Stolarz Career Wins
Across the AHL, OHL and NHL, Stolarz has consistently delivered winning performances. His junior and minor-pro success with the London Knights, Lehigh Valley Phantoms and San Diego Gulls established him as a reliable goaltender, while his NHL wins with the Flyers, Oilers, Ducks, Panthers and Maple Leafs have shown steady growth at the highest level.
Junior and Minor-Pro Highlights
Stolarz won 38 of his 55 appearances with the London Knights and captured key victories with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, including a 51-save shootout win over the Syracuse Crunch in 2016. With the San Diego Gulls in 2019–20, he helped anchor one of the AHL’s top goaltending units, winning 21 of 38 decisions.
NHL Wins and Performances
Stolarz has earned NHL wins with the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, highlighted by his February 2019 35-save performance against Minnesota, his March 2021 return to the win column with Anaheim, and his Stanley Cup championship contribution with Florida in 2024.
Anthony Stolarz Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Stolarz grew up in a close-knit New Jersey household alongside his older brother Todd, who also played goaltender in New Jersey junior hockey. The brothers spent countless hours studying Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall together, and that early mentorship at home helped spark Anthony’s lifelong passion for the position.
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Stolarz’s personal life is limited, and he tends to keep family matters private. He stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 243 pounds, the physical profile he has carried throughout his professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Stolarz entered the 2025 season as a key part of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltending tandem following his two-year free-agent signing the previous summer. He provided stability in a demanding market, giving Toronto a tall, experienced option to balance its younger netminders. His veteran presence and track record of big performances helped shape the Maple Leafs’ approach between the pipes.
On September 29, 2025, Stolarz agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract extension with Toronto, underscoring the organization’s confidence in his long-term outlook. The deal signaled that the Maple Leafs view him as a core piece of their roster for the coming seasons, not merely a stopgap solution.
With his championship pedigree from the Panthers’ 2024 Stanley Cup run and his growing familiarity with the Maple Leafs’ system, Stolarz heads into the rest of the 2025 campaign as a focal point of Toronto’s playoff ambitions.