NHL insider Dave Feschuk names $5,000,000 goalie as 'key' to addressing Toronto Maple Leafs' dip in form

The Toronto Maple Leafs have struggled as of late, and they're barely clinging to first place in the Atlantic division right now. The team has struggled since losing Anthony Stolarz, and hockey analyst Dave Feschuk believes his return is the key to turning things around. He said on First Up (9:20):

"Stolarz is the key to me. He's, you know, everything is about getting him back and making sure that you get him back at the right time. You don't bring him back too early. You bring him back so that he is ready to ramp up for the stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs."

Feschuk continued, noting that the Leafs have struggled even offensively lately. They have lost five out of the last eight, and in those five losses, they've scored six goals The NHL insider added:

"You can go through the litany of power play struggling. Power Play being counterproductive, because they give up a couple of shorthanded goals against in that stretch of five losses, so they can't score at times. We all know that."

He said that doesn't matter when a team has good goaltending. Feschuk said Stolarz, who is the mid of a two-year, $5 million contract, and Joseph Woll have provided "world-class" goalkeeping, and that the Maple Leafs need both of them available to overcome the offensive deficiencies. If not, they'll need to address the scoring at the trade deadline.

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Toronto Maple Leafs goalie discusses injury and recovery

Anthony Stolarz had to have knee surgery to remove a loose body in his knee after he went down. The Toronto Maple Leafs are anxiously awaiting his return. According to the goalie, so is he.

Anthony Stolarz is working his way back to the Toronto Maple Leafs (Imagn)

He said, via Sportsnet:

“Kind of sucks, obviously, not playing. And we were playing pretty well when I went down. So, just to be able to get back out there, be able to practice with the guys again, be around the group, it’s been a lot of fun so far."

He added there's nothing like "playing hockey in a real, 60-minute game" as a goalie. It's cardio like nothing else, and he just needs to continue working up to that speed before he can get back on the ice.