Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz hospitalized after puck hits throat in freak warmup incident

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was hospitalized aft taking a puck to the pharynx during warmups earlier his commencement against the Ottawa Senators. 

Stolarz was scratched from Saturday’s contest, and taken disconnected the crystal wherever helium went to the infirmary arsenic a precautionary measure. He received immoderate images and was aboriginal released, per NHL.com.

Maple Leafs caput manager Craig Berube didn’t person an update for Stolarz aft his squad fell to the Senators, 5-2, though helium believed helium would beryllium gathering the squad for their formation backmost to Toronto. 

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Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz spits retired his h2o during the 2nd play of a NHL crippled betwixt the Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs connected March 15, 2026, astatine Grand Casino Arena successful Saint Paul, MN. (Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

The infinitesimal was captured by Sportsnet, wherever a changeable was taken by a Maple Leafs subordinate similar mean warmups. But it caught Stolarz successful the worse spot – close betwixt his pads and mask.

Stolarz rapidly skated retired of net, and helium yet went into the Maple Leafs’ passageway earlier heading retired of the arena. 

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William Nylander was the 1 who threw the changeable connected nett that deed Stolarz successful the throat, and helium spoke astir the freak incidental aft the loss. 

"Obviously, it’s truly pugnacious to spot that happen," helium said, per the New York Post. "I mean, I ever travel successful and sprout the puck successful the glove, and this 1 conscionable came disconnected a small spot to the left, and I deed him successful the neck. So, I was evidently disquieted for him, but I’ve been texting with him. So, helium seems to beryllium OK."

Anthony Stolarz of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up earlier playing against the Anaheim Ducks astatine the Scotiabank Arena connected March 12, 2026 successful Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Mark Blinch/NHLI)

In turn, Joseph Woll took implicit successful net, and helium didn’t person the champion outing, with 5 goals allowed. 

Stolarz, the 32-year-old New Jersey native, owns an 8-9-3 grounds and .894 prevention percent implicit 22 games with the Maple Leafs. This is his 2nd play with Toronto aft backing up Sergei Bobrovsky with the Florida Panthers successful 2024. 

Stolarz was portion of the Panthers' Stanley Cup-winning squad that year. 

He went connected to motion a four-year, $15 cardinal woody with the Maple Leafs successful September 2025 contempt having genu country that held him to 34 games during the 2024-25 campaign. 

Anthony Stolarz of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks connected during a crippled betwixt the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils astatine Prudential Center connected March 4, 2026 successful Newark, New Jersey. (Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

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Unfortunately, the wounded bug continued this year, arsenic Stolarz was forced to miss 33 games owed to an upper-body wounded earlier this season. 

It’s been a unsmooth play for the Maple Leafs, who are connected the extracurricular looking successful with conscionable 11 games near to play. They person 71 points, sitting astatine the bottommost of the Atlantic Division with the Panthers.

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