Philadelphia Flyers: 2012 Draft surrounded with big trades
Anthony Stolarz was the first goaltender the Flyers drafted since taking Adam Morrison and Nick Riopel in 2009. Needing an upgrade at the goaltending position, Stolarz was a clear building block.
He had been climbing the ranks among goaltenders since before the draft. He was one of the biggest prospects at the position. Stolarz was coming off his only seasons with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays of the NAHL.
There, he was already regarded as a goaltender who was quick and had a good eye for the puck. He moved on to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Stolarz appeared in just eight collegiate games, second most among the team’s four goaltenders.
He left college to join the London Knights of the OHL after just that one NCAA season. It turned out to be the right decision as the Knights would win the OHL championship in his first season. Stolarz appeared in 20 games for the team, posting a 2.29 GAA and a .920 SV%.
While splitting time in net once again the following season, it appeared clear that Stolarz was the team’s best goaltender. With an increased workload, his numbers didn’t fall off much from the prior season. He finished with a 2.52 GAA and a .926 SV%.
From there, he made his professional debut with the Phantoms in 2014. He would become the team’s starter the following season. Stolarz made his Flyers debut during the 2016-17 season, appearing in seven games. The numbers were solid as he posted a 2.07 GAA and a .928 SV%. Those were the best numbers he had ever posted.
He was back to the Phantoms for the next few seasons, appearing in the NHL once again last year. Injuries plagued the Flyers at the goaltending position, including Stolarz. He did get the chance to suit up for 12 NHL games. He wasn’t quite as sharp this time around, finishing with a 3.33 GAA and a .902 SV%.
He would later be traded to the Edmonton Oilers, the Flyers receiving Cam Talbot in the deal. Stolarz is now in the Ducks organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL once again.