The summer days are hot and the NHL news is ice cold. There’s nothing going on and even less coming out of the Panthers’ den.
It seems at this point that the Cats are most likely done wheelin’ and dealin’ after loading up their backend at the start of free agency back in early July.
With the forward positions pretty much set, and the blueline backfilled with recent signings to cover for the injured Ekblad and Montour, all eyes now turn to the net…
After moving on from (Cinderella story) Alex Lyon, the Cats signed 29-year old Anthony Stolarz to a one-year deal. Stolarz will no doubt enter into battle with Knight to claim the backup spot behind #1 Bob.
Per the July 1 announcement:
“Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has agreed to terms with goaltender Anthony Stolarz on a one-year, one-way contract.
"Anthony's size and exceptional rebound control make him a strong defender of the crease," said Zito. "His signing provides goaltending depth for the club going into the 2023-23 season."
Stolarz, 29, appeared in 19 games with Anaheim this season and has played in 81 NHL games between Philadelphia (2016-17 to 2018-19), Edmonton (2018-19) and Anaheim (2019-20 to 2022-23), producing a 2.93 career goals against average (GAA) and a .912 career save percentage (SV%). Stolarz has had six career shutouts, including three in his 2021-22 campaign with Anaheim. Setting the Ducks franchise record for most saves by a goaltender in a shutout, Stolarz stopped 46 shots in a 4-0 victory over San Jose on April 12, 2021.
The 6-foot-6, 243-pound native of Edison, NJ skated in 155 American Hockey League (AHL) games between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2014-15 to 2018-2019) and San Diego Gulls (2019-20 to 2020-21) where he posted a 2.86 GAA and a .913 SV%. He was named to the AHL All-Star roster in 2016 and 2020.
On the international stage, Stolarz competed for the USA at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship placing fifth, and at the 2021 IIHF World Championship winning a bronze medal.
Prior to his professional career, Stolarz played two seasons of juniors for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2012-13 to 2013-14, leading the team to an OHL Championship in 2012-13 and back-to-back Memorial Cup appearances in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. Stolarz led all AHL goaltenders in save percentage with a .926 SV%.
Stolarz was originally selected in the 2nd round (45th overall) by Philadelphia in the 2012 NHL Draft.…
The above outlines an interesting player profile. A bit older and lacking a lot of NHL experience, Stolarz seems to have done well with the opportunities he’s been given when called up to the bigs.
Spencer Knight’s stay in the Player Assistance Program undoubtedly set him back valuable time, experience and development at both the AHL and NHL levels. The positive is that he is so young that his bounce back could be that of a swift one. The NHL making an exception and allowing him to participate in the rookie development camp to get that extra time most likely helped his timing as he gets back to game speed for the big club practices.
Some things I think the Panthers coaching staff will evaluate when as these two goaltenders battle it out:
- Skill/ability (obviously): sound technique, quickness, rebound control, etc… - Mental toughness: ability to shoulder heavy loads, bounce back after being scored on, etc… - Responsible in the blue paint: decision-making, knowing when to play the puck and when not to - Teamwork: how are they gelling with the team
Since I don’t really have much insight into Stolarz at this point, I can apply some of the above to Knight based on what I’ve seen so far from his time with Florida.
The skill/ability was apparent early on in his call-ups. This seemed to erode a bit as time went on and his movements and reaction time became slower, resulting in the erosion of his mental toughness. He often looked defeated or “out of it… throughout games after letting up a goal. I felt he was pretty responsible in net, not making any unnecessary or risky decisions trying to play the puck, etc. I don’t know how he was received in the locker room or how he gelled with the guys, so I can’t really weigh in there.
I assume a lot of Knight’s decline/struggle as time went on was due to whatever issue(s) he was battling that caused him to enter the PAP. I am very curious to see how he’s looking since re-entering play. I’m pulling the the young man.
If I had to make a complete guess, I think we’ll be seeing Stolarz as the backup come Game 1. Looking at the numbers and reading a bit between the lines, it makes sense to have a guy like Stolarz start the job. He appears to have handled the mental drain of bouncing between the AHL and NHL well. When given a shot in the show, he’s put together a pretty nice resume. He’s older and may have gained a bit more knowledge and understanding of himself and his role at this level. Not to mention that many have pointed out that he was a very good (sneaky) signing - a Zito trademark.
The other thing is…why not take your time with Knight at this point? A lot of us said it before, but there’s a good chance he was not only unfairly hyped by the Panthers’ media marketing machine, but it seems he was rushed in too quickly. At only 22, there’s no need to force this guy in. He’s either going to work out, or he won’t. So give him the best chance possible by preparing him properly. The Cats are fortunate enough right now where they have a legit #1 (if Bob can carry over his play from last season) and just need to worry about finding a reliable backup to give him some nights off. I believe they found that guy in Stolarz.
Looking at if from a surface-level perspective:
Bob is #1, Stolarz is the backup and Knight will focus on himself and honing his skill at the AHL level; learning the game and what it takes to eventually step into the NHL as a regular. No doubt about it, he has to prove himself, too.
And so the goalie situation for Florida is yet again another interesting one to watch. _________________________
Go Panthers!