At this point in the season, nothing seems to be a surprise for Toronto Maple Leafs fans. But then again, Wednesday night’s matchup against the Washington Capitals proved there’s still something the fanbase can raise its nose at.
During the Leafs’ 4-0 spanking at the hands of the Caps, the club lost three players to injury. So, let’s start with the most evident issue.
With under four minutes into the game, the Maple Leafs lost goaltender Anthony Stolarz to injury, again.
The play seemed completely innocuous. However, the quick motion that Stolarz made with the pad save seemingly triggered something. That something was so bad that it left the 6’6”, 240-pound goalie in agony.
Judging from the injury, it was likely a groin pull. That’s speculation, of course. That’s not a medical opinion. But going from experience and the range of motion on the play, plus Stolarz’s reaction, a nasty groin pull could have been the case.
Additionally, NHL netminders tend to deal with lower-body injuries of this nature. Considering that Stolarz didn’t even attempt to skate off the ice suggests that something truly bad happened on the play.
But that wasn’t the only injury situation befalling the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. The club also lost defenseman Brandon Carlo, again, and forward Dakota Joshua, again, to a lower-body and upper-body injury, respectively.
That situation left Toronto depleted, leading to the blanking by the Capitals. It was the sort of night where nothing went right for the Maple Leafs. But when looking at the bigger picture, the club may have to decide what to do down the line.
Maple Leafs Will Need to Figure Something Out with Stolarz
It’s been an awful season for Stolarz. Earlier in the season, Stolarz was absent due to an unknown ailment that the club would not talk about.
Later, it appeared to have been a nerve issue causing the 32-year-old significant discomfort. He returned in January. However, he has been unable to hold down the starting role permanently.
His latest injury on Wednesday night is just another episode in what’s been a lengthy injury history. Given that situation, the Maple Leafs will need to decide what to do about Stolarz. He’s in the final year of his current contract, with a four-year extension kicking in next season.
But if Stolarz can’t stay healthy, the Maple Leafs won’t have any real certitude in the crease. That’s why the club may have to figure out a path forward for Stolarz.
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Carlo, Joshua, Unclear about Injuries
As for Brandon Carlo and Dakota Joshua, it’s unclear what their injuries could be. Carlo missed a big part of the Maple Leafs’ season due to a broken foot. He came back after the New Year and has played mostly reliable defensive hockey.
Joshua also missed a good chunk of the season after sustaining a lacerated kidney. Joshua took a hit along the boards during a December 2025 game against the Detroit Red Wings. Fortunately, Joshua recovered from the incident. But his latest injury, described as an upper-body incident, may or may not be related to that earlier injury.
Be that as it may, the chances of seeing Carlo and Joshua again this season may be slim. The Maple Leafs have no real need to rush either player back. So, if the injuries warrant some extended time off, they’ll get the whole summer to recover.
Maple Leafs Get Injury Triple Whammy against Capitals