Anthony Stolarz barely recalls the moment Sam Bennett’s forearm caught his mask in Game 1—just the sudden jolt, the metallic taste, and the stunned slide off the ice. In the days since, he fought through headaches and gritted out solo workouts, a lone figure shadowboxing doubts about ever minding the crease again. This morning, he laced up for warm‑ups, mask strapped tight and focus unmistakable—a quiet signal that he’s back in the fight.

Chris Johnston, the TSN hockey reporter, didn’t take much time to reveal the news on X.

“Anthony Stolarz takes the ice for work at the #leafs practice rink,” his post read while featuring the picture of the young goalie who tried skating and practicing his best moves after the mishap took away his chances of playing further in the series. Earlier too, ahead of Game 5, head coach Craig Berube addressed the media, talking about Stolarz—“doing much better.” He didn’t reveal any timeline for his possible return to the lineup. So, is it going to be the next one now?

After stumbling out of Round 2 with back-to-back losses, the Florida Panthers have since roared back to form, and now the Maple Leafs’ playoff hopes hang by a thread under head coach Craig Berube. The Panthers have crushed them with a 6-1 victory in Game 5, and they are just one loss away from elimination, making it very clear that such a dramatic turnaround is essential.

What followed after the infamous injury posed a serious threat to the Maple Leafs’ goaltending position. While Stolarz was hospitalized and given rest until any further notice, Joseph Woll took over as the replacement immediately. Though Woll, with his save percentage of .877 during the series, allowed a 2-0 lead to the Maple Leafs during the first two matches, things afterwards took a different turn.

Now, since the Panthers lead the series after winning three consecutive matches, what concerns the NHL community, especially the Maple Leafs fans, is their last chance to continue playing in the postseason. And seeing Stolarz back on ice and practicing in his solo sessions, hopes arise that he might be playing in Game 6, but the head coach has something else to reveal about the situation.

What does the Maple Leafs coach have to say about Anthony Stolarz’s return to the ice?

Berube still thinks Stolarz isn’t fully prepared yet to hustle for the next challenge. “I doubt it,” Berube said about the young goalie’s return to the ice on Friday. In fact, this morning too, it was only just 30 minutes of skating and Mark Masters reported that Stolarz left the ice thereafter. Well, these reports and claims suggest that Anthony Stolarz’s return still looks dicey.

Despite joining the team’s Black Aces for a workout, Stolarz remained unsuccessful in giving 100% potential. Indeed a notable step forward after several solo sessions, but not yet a full clearance to rejoin the lineup. While there is no official timeline that has been set for his return to game action, let’s say that the Maple Leafs need to look for some other way to make new adjustments.

With the team now on the brink of elimination after a brutal 6-1 loss in Game 5, every decision is magnified. And Anthony Stolarz’s comeback? Well, that should focus his recovery first. However, whether that much-needed spark for the team comes from their goalie or not, only time will tell. Because what concerns us now is a win rather than Stolarz’s return on ice, right?