The Philadelphia Flyers’ General Manager Ron Hextall is finalizing contracts for his restricted free agents for the upcoming 2018-19 season. The team recently announced the re-signing of goalie Anthony Stolarz on a one-year two-way deal valued at $761,250.
With the return of Stolarz, a second-round pick in 2012, the Flyers now await the decision of defenseman Robert Hagg, who is their only remaining restricted free agent.
Stolarz, who made his NHL debut just a year ago, faced a challenging 2017-18 season, appearing in seven games. The 24-year-old goalie sustained a left knee injury in early September 2017, a recurring issue from the previous season with AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Due to his injury, Stolarz was limited to only one AHL game and three ECHL contests. During the 2016-17 season, he posted a 2.07 goals-against average in the NHL before being sidelined by the injury.
As Stolarz aims to return to form, he faces competition at Lehigh Valley with the presence of goaltenders Alex Lyon and Carter Hart.
Reflecting on the upcoming season, Stolarz emphasized the need to prove his fitness, stating, “It’s just competition. No one is going to go in there and hand you a job, so you have to earn it. I think the thing for me is to prove I’m healthy and going out there and working to prove I’m still a high-caliber goalie.”
