Insider reveals potential cost of Anthony Stolarz extension for Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have undergone a lot of change in goal over the years.

Some of that has been due to inconsistent play, and some of it has been a result of goaltenders pricing themselves out of town. 

Last year's tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll was statistically one of the best in the NHL, and this time around, they want to keep their duo intact for as long as possible.

Stolarz and the Maple Leafs have mutual interest in a contract extension; however, there's still some work to be done before they come to an agreement on terms. On Tuesday morning, TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston revealed what those terms could look like for Toronto to retain their netminder in an appearance on "First Up."

"My belief is it probably lands somewhere between a 3- and 4-year deal. Term-wise, that’s bang on. The tricky part is the money. I don’t know if it gets up into the fives or sixes. Realistically, I think it’s more in that $3.7 million range, maybe a little above," Johnston said.

"I think, of course, for Stolarz, he’s balancing what happens if he has a great year this year. He could be a UFA, and maybe his market goes higher in the cap environment. There’s a lot of hesitation across the league to make a bad deal right now. With the cap jumping, everyone’s getting paid more. We’ll see if either side is willing to bend to get something done," Johnston added.

How close are #LeafsForever and Anthony Stolarz to an extension? What are the obstacles to a deal getting done? @reporterchris joined us this morning on #FirstUp to break it all down! Do you think a deal will get done? Let us know! 👇 pic.twitter.com/ORWS2vcHZV

The 31-year-old is about to enter the final season of the two-year, $5 million contract he signed with the Maple Leafs in free agency of 2024.

Nothing is imminent

While talks between Anthony Stolarz and the Toronto Maple Leafs are ongoing, nothing appears close at this time, and it could play out into the season.

There is, of course, risk for both sides if that's the case, though with less than a month until the puck drops on opening night, it feels as if that's where things are headed.

Stolarz was fantastic in his first season as a Maple Leaf, going 21-8-3 with a 2.14 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage, and four shutouts, while also playing very well in the playoffs. 

The issue has been staying healthy, which was once again a problem on several occasions in 2024-25, as he dealt with a knee injury and a concussion. 

It's an interesting contract negotiation, and how the first few months of 2025-26 go could play a huge factor in the ultimate result.