A concerning moment happened in the NHL this season when Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander shot the puck at the throat of his team’s goalkeeper, Anthony Stolarz. The incident happened during the warm-ups, before the start of the official game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were ready to take on the Ottawa Senators in the regular-season game on March 20, 2026. Just before the game, the Maple Leafs players were warming up. During the warm-up, Nylander drops the puck that hits Anthony Stolarz’s throat.

The goalie immediately left the ice after that incident. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary imaging after the warm-up incident and was later released. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he was expected to rejoin the team, though no immediate update on his condition was provided. He was subsequently back with the team the following day.

Coach Craig Berube said he did not have any update on Stolarz’s condition. Nylander also explains the situation and says he always hits the puck with his gloves.

But that one shot was a bit wayward. The forward was worried about Anthony Stolarz but later said he had a word with the goalie, and everything seems fine.

"Obviously, it's, you know, really tough to see that happen. I mean, I always come in and shoot the puck in the glove, and this one just came off a little bit to the left, and I hit him in the neck. So, I mean, I was obviously worried for him, but I mean, I've been texting with him, so he seems to be OK," Nylander said after the game.

Joseph Woll Took Charge in the Absence of Anthony Stolarz

After Stolarz exited, backup goalie Joseph Woll came in and played the whole game. He made 38 saves in that game. Toronto lost the game 2-5. Woll also made 32 saves on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leafs lost that game 4–3 in overtime.

Anthony Stolarz played 22 games this season. Out of those 22, he started in 21 and holds an 8-9-3 record with a 3.34 goals-against average. He has a save percentage of .894 this season.

This is Stolarz’s second season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before joining the Leafs, he was with the Florida Panthers. He won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup in 2024.

The Leafs have signed a four-year deal with the 32-year-old, amounting to $15 million ($3.75 million average annual value). This contract will last until the 2029-30 season.

The Detroit Red Wings lead Toronto (29-29-13) by 13 points for the second Eastern Conference wild card into the playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently sit among the playoff contenders in the Atlantic Division standings.

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Shraabona Sengupta