Maple Leafs’ Woll forced to start after Stolarz injured in warmups
Anthony stolarz was hurt in warmups when a shot from William Nylander struck his throat, forcing Joseph Woll to start against the Ottawa Senators. Woll was pressed into a back-to-back role after the pre-game injury and took the crease for the matchup. Stolarz was transported to the hospital for precautionary imaging, and the team said an update will be provided when available.
Expanding details on the late crease change
Joseph Woll was already in a heavy rotation, having started five of the previous six Maple Leafs contests, and was coming off a 32-save outing where he stopped 32 of 36 shots in Friday’s overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. The unexpected loss of Stolarz in warmups forced the Leafs to rely on Woll again, turning what had been a planned backup role for Stolarz into a sudden absence on game night.
Stolarz had fallen into the back-up role recently as Woll seized more starts. He last started on March 15 in a win over the Minnesota Wild. The 32-year-old had missed 33 games earlier this season with an upper-body injury, and the team moved quickly to get him to hospital for imaging after the warmup incident.
Stolarz update and team response
The team confirmed that Stolarz was transported to the hospital for precautionary imaging following the shot to the throat in warmups. An update will be provided when available. There has been no other medical detail released about his condition, and the club framed the hospital trip as a precaution while it gathers information.
With the emergency move into the lineup, Woll assumed immediate responsibility for the crease against Ottawa. His recent workload — starting multiple games in short succession — is now the on-ice reality for the immediate future while the club monitors Stolarz’s status and awaits medical follow-up.
What comes next for the Leafs and the goaltending picture
Expect the team to issue further updates on Stolarz when imaging results are available and the medical staff completes evaluations. In the short term, Joseph Woll will continue to start and the club will manage his minutes within the schedule and his recent stretch of appearances.
The warmups injury interrupted pre-game preparations and left the Leafs to adapt quickly. The immediate focus remains on Stolarz’s imaging and the team’s communication about his condition; the roster and starting plans will follow whatever medical guidance the club receives. Additional updates on stolarz will be released by the team when they are ready to share them.
