Philadelphia Flyers: 5 Under the radar preseason players to watch

5. Anthony Stolarz

I’ve previously mentioned that Flyers fans shouldn’t forget about Anthony Stolarz this upcoming season, and I’m still sticking by it.

Stolarz was solid during his brief time in the NHL before undergoing knee surgery in September of 2017. In seven games, he posted a .928 Save percentage and a 2.07 Goals Against Average (GAA) during the 2016-2017 season. While the sample size is small, Stolarz still rose to the occasion and even notched a shutout that year as well.

Stolarz was also solid in the AHL before his injury as well. In the 2016-2017 season, Stolarz posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.92 GAA for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. While he’s never got over the .920 percent mark during his AHL career, he still showed some flashes throughout.

Questioning whether Stolarz will return to 100 percent is valid. His brief rehab stint in the ECHL and AHL after he returned last year weren’t encouraging, but he’s now had a full offseason to recover and get stronger. Time will tell if Stolarz returns to form, and I personally think he will.

Hextall will most likely put him in the AHL to start the season to ease his transition back from surgery, but once he shows he’s completely healthy, he’ll be the first goalie up if either Elliott or Neuvirth go down.