Due to Thanksgiving weekend, I was unable to complete a Gazette Player of the Week on Saturday as planned. But with the first week of the regular season in the books, it’s worth taking a look back at the week that was and picking a standout performer.
To refresh your memory: The Leafs lost 1-0 to Montreal on Wednesday, then bounced back with a 4-2 win in New Jersey before beating Pittsburgh 4-2 in the Leafs home opener on Saturday. Early returns on the season indicate that the offense and power play may take a small step back, but team defense and structure both seemed vastly improved over the Sheldon Keefe teams of yore.
There were a few individual performances from the first week that stood out, but with several star players getting off to a slow start by their standards (Auston Matthews has no points), the Leafs first-week MVP is…
Anthony Stolarz, Goaltender
Stolarz was a big reason the Leafs only allowed 5 goals in their first 3 games. He debuted on Wednesday after presumptive starter Joseph Woll went down with an injury, and Stolarz was impressive, making 26 of a possible 27 saves. Stolarz was back at it Saturday, earning the win and making 21 saves on 23 shots. The standout performances leave him with a 1-1 record, a sparkling .940 save percentage, and a 1.54 goals against average. Going forward, he looks like a lock to start until Woll can go, with the capable Dennis Hildeby backing him up.
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