Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz suffered an upper body injury on November 11, 2025, during a game against the Boston Bruins that has kept him off the ice for an extended period. While the team has not disclosed the exact diagnosis, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube confirmed the injury is not a concussion, leading many to speculate about possible neck, shoulder, or upper cervical spine involvement.
When NHL goalies sustain upper body injuries—particularly in the neck and shoulder region—the potential diagnoses can range from whiplash-associated disorders and cervical facet joint sprains to brachial plexus stretch injuries and soft tissue trauma. Understanding these injury patterns is crucial for fans following Stolarz's recovery and for athletes who may face similar injuries.
At Pain Free Health Clinic in Surrey, British Columbia, we specialize in treating complex neck and upper body injuries similar to what professional goalies experience. Our evidence-based approach combines cervical traction, advanced manual therapy, neuromuscular rehabilitation, and sport-specific return-to-play protocols.
This comprehensive guide explores the types of upper body and neck injuries that NHL goalies like Anthony Stolarz can sustain, how these injuries are diagnosed and treated, and what recovery timelines typically look like for elite athletes.
Anthony Stolarz left the Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Boston Bruins on November 11, 2025, with what the team classified as an upper body injury. The 30-year-old goaltender had been performing exceptionally well for Toronto before the injury sidelined him.
By mid-December, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube provided an update stating that the organization did not believe Stolarz had sustained a concussion. Berube mentioned that Stolarz was being evaluated by a specialist, though no specific structural diagnosis was publicly released.
It's important to note that Anthony Stolarz suffered a concussion during the 2025 playoffs in May 2025—a separate injury from his current upper body issue. This history makes the team's careful approach to his current injury particularly prudent.
NHL teams often classify injuries as "upper body" or "lower body" without providing specific details to protect player privacy and prevent opponents from targeting vulnerable areas. While fans and analysts speculate about the exact nature of Stolarz's injury, the lack of specific information is standard practice in professional hockey.
When a goaltender sustains an upper body injury that keeps them out for weeks or months, several potential diagnoses should be considered. While we cannot diagnose Anthony Stolarz specifically without examining him, we can discuss the common injury patterns seen in professional goalies.
Whiplash injuries occur when the head and neck are rapidly accelerated and decelerated, or when forceful contact causes extreme flexion, extension, rotation, or lateral bending of the cervical spine.
Mechanism in Goalies: When a player collides with a goalie in the crease—particularly if an arm, shoulder, or body makes contact with the neck region—whiplash-type forces can injure multiple cervical structures simultaneously.
Structures Injured: Facet joints, cervical ligaments, intervertebral discs, muscles, and potentially nerve roots can all be damaged during a whiplash mechanism.
Symptoms: Neck pain and stiffness, reduced range of motion, headaches originating from the base of the skull, shoulder blade pain, upper back discomfort, and in some cases, radiating arm symptoms.
Recovery Timeline: Grade I-II whiplash injuries typically improve over 6-12 weeks with appropriate treatment, though some athletes experience persistent symptoms requiring longer rehabilitation.
The cervical facet joints are small paired joints connecting each vertebra to the one above and below. These joints guide neck movement and are richly innervated with pain-sensitive nerves.
Mechanism in Goalies: Forceful rotation, extension, or lateral bending can sprain or irritate the facet joint capsules, causing significant pain and dysfunction.
Symptoms:
Diagnosis: Facet joint injuries can be challenging to diagnose with standard imaging. MRI may show joint effusion or capsular swelling, but clinical examination findings—including provocation tests and motion palpation—are often more diagnostic.
Treatment Response: Facet injuries typically respond well to manual therapy, cervical traction, and targeted rehabilitation, though recovery can take 4-12 weeks depending on severity.
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves originating from the cervical spine (C5-T1) that provides motor and sensory function to the entire arm and hand. These nerves are vulnerable to stretch injuries when forceful contact separates the head from the shoulder.
Mechanism in Goalies: When a player's arm or body forcefully contacts the goalie's neck/shoulder area, it can stretch or compress the brachial plexus, particularly if the head is simultaneously forced in the opposite direction.
Symptoms:
Severity Grading:
Recovery Considerations: While many brachial plexus injuries resolve quickly, those with persistent weakness or sensory changes require thorough neurological evaluation and specialized rehabilitation.
Cervical radiculopathy occurs when a nerve root exiting the spinal cord is compressed or irritated by a herniated disc, bone spur, or post-traumatic swelling.
Mechanism in Goalies: Axial loading, disc injury, or inflammatory swelling following trauma can compress nerve roots as they exit the cervical spine.
Symptoms:
Diagnosis: MRI is the gold standard for identifying disc herniations or nerve root compression. EMG/nerve conduction studies may be used to assess nerve function and rule out other conditions.
Treatment: Most radiculopathies improve with conservative care including traction, manual therapy, anti-inflammatory measures, and neural mobilization techniques. Persistent cases may require epidural injections or surgical consultation.
Following neck trauma, the cervical muscles often go into protective spasm to splint and guard injured structures.
Muscles Commonly Affected:
Symptoms:
Perpetuating Factors: Muscle spasm creates a self-perpetuating cycle—spasm causes pain and restricts blood flow, which prevents healing and maintains the spasm.
Treatment Focus: Manual therapy, trigger point release, heat/cold therapy, gentle stretching, and progressive strengthening are essential to break this cycle.
Intervertebral discs act as shock absorbers between vertebrae. High-energy impacts can cause disc injury ranging from annular tears to disc herniations.
Mechanism: Axial loading, rotational forces, or combined flexion/rotation can damage the disc's outer ring (annulus fibrosus) or cause the inner gel (nucleus pulposus) to herniate.
Symptoms:
Diagnosis: MRI is required to visualize disc pathology accurately.
Recovery: Conservative care is successful for most disc injuries, though herniated discs with significant nerve compression may require more aggressive intervention.
Cervicogenic headaches originate from cervical spine pathology—typically facet joint irritation, upper cervical dysfunction, or muscle trigger points—rather than primary headache disorders.
Symptoms:
Treatment: Addressing the underlying cervical dysfunction through manual therapy, joint mobilization, and muscle release typically resolves cervicogenic headaches.
Professional sports teams have valid reasons for keeping injury details private:
HIPAA and Privacy Laws: Medical information is protected, and teams cannot disclose details without player consent.
Competitive Disadvantage: Revealing specific injuries could allow opponents to target vulnerable areas.
Contract and Career Implications: Detailed injury information could affect contract negotiations, trade value, or future employment.
Avoiding Speculation: Specific diagnoses lead to public debate about recovery timelines and return-to-play decisions that may not reflect the individual athlete's situation.
The NHL's standard practice of classifying injuries as "upper body" or "lower body" provides general information while protecting specifics. For Anthony Stolarz, "upper body injury" could encompass:
The team's statement that it's "not a concussion" rules out brain injury but leaves numerous musculoskeletal possibilities.
At Pain Free Health Clinic in Surrey, BC, we have extensive experience treating complex neck and upper body injuries in athletes, including injuries similar to those seen in professional hockey players.
Our assessment process includes:
Detailed History: Understanding the mechanism of injury, symptom onset, progression, and aggravating/relieving factors.
Red Flag Screening: Identifying signs of serious pathology (fracture, spinal cord injury, vascular injury) that require immediate medical referral.
Physical Examination:
Concussion Screening: When appropriate, we perform balance testing, cognitive screening, and vestibular/ocular motor examination.
Coordination with Medical Team: We communicate with physicians, sports medicine specialists, and other providers to ensure comprehensive care.
Cervical traction is one of our most effective tools for treating neck injuries involving facet joint irritation, disc pathology, or nerve root compression.
Mechanical Traction: Uses controlled force to gently separate cervical vertebrae, reducing pressure on facet joints, discs, and nerve roots.
Manual Traction: Hands-on traction applied by skilled therapists, allowing for precise targeting and real-time adjustment based on patient response.
Benefits:
Treatment Protocols: Traction parameters (force, duration, angle) are individualized based on diagnosis, symptom response, and treatment goals.
Joint Mobilization: Gentle, graded movements applied to cervical facet joints, costovertebral joints, and thoracic segments to restore normal mobility and reduce pain.
Soft Tissue Mobilization: Hands-on techniques to release muscle tension, break up adhesions, and improve tissue quality.
Myofascial Release: Sustained pressure and stretching techniques targeting fascial restrictions and trigger points.
Muscle Energy Techniques: Active patient muscle contractions followed by stretching to restore length and function.
Neural Mobilization: Gentle techniques to improve nerve gliding and reduce neural tension, particularly beneficial for brachial plexus and radicular symptoms.
Cervical and shoulder girdle muscles frequently develop trigger points following trauma. We use:
Heat Therapy: Increases blood flow, relaxes muscles, and prepares tissues for manual therapy.
Cold Therapy: Reduces inflammation and pain in acute phases.
Electrical Stimulation: TENS, IFC, or neuromuscular electrical stimulation for pain control and muscle re-education.
Ultrasound: Deep heating for chronic muscle spasm and tissue healing.
Laser Therapy: Promotes cellular healing and reduces inflammation.
Post-injury, athletes often develop altered movement patterns, muscle inhibition, and compensatory strategies that must be addressed.
Deep Cervical Flexor Training: The longus colli and longus capitis provide critical neck stability but are often inhibited after injury. We use specific exercises to retrain these muscles.
Scapular Stabilization: The shoulder blade position affects neck mechanics. Strengthening lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and rhomboids improves posture and reduces cervical strain.
Progressive Loading: Gradual introduction of resistance exercises to rebuild strength, endurance, and power.
Sport-Specific Training: For hockey players, we incorporate movements that mimic goaltending positions and demands.
When neck injuries involve concurrent concussion or when cervicogenic dizziness is present, we provide:
Many athletes have underlying postural issues (forward head posture, rounded shoulders) that predispose them to injury and slow recovery. We address:
For athletes recovering from neck injuries, we follow evidence-based return-to-play progressions:
Phase 1: Acute Management
Phase 2: Subacute Rehabilitation
Phase 3: Functional Restoration
Phase 4: Return to Sport
Each phase requires meeting specific criteria before progression, ensuring the athlete is truly ready for the next level of demand.
We work closely with:
This team approach ensures comprehensive care and optimal outcomes.
BREAKING UPDATE - January 24, 2026: Anthony Stolarz returned to NHL action on January 23, 2026, after a 73-day absence, starting against the Vegas Golden Knights. After months of uncertainty, the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie has finally made his comeback.
Stolarz confirmed he was dealing with a nerve injury, which explains the extended recovery time and why the injury took much longer to heal than initially expected. In mid-December, coach Craig Berube stated that Stolarz was not making the progress they had hoped and was seeking a second opinion from a specialist.
November 11, 2025: Stolarz leaves game against Boston Bruins with upper body injury after first period
Mid-December 2025: Berube announces Stolarz is not progressing as expected and will see a specialist. Team confirms it's NOT a concussion.
December 17, 2025: Berube states "He's not making the progress that we thought he would make." Fans grow increasingly concerned about the lack of transparency.
Early January 2026: Stolarz begins skating on his own, first signs of progress after nearly two months.
January 13, 2026: Stolarz joins the Maple Leafs on their West Coast road trip for practice. Berube says he's "getting pretty close" and "there's a chance" he could return before the Olympic break.
January 21, 2026: Stolarz sent to AHL Toronto Marlies on conditioning loan to get full practice time and conditioning work.
January 23, 2026: Stolarz activated from long-term injured reserve and starts against Vegas Golden Knights - his first game in 73 days.
January 24, 2026 (Game Performance): In his return, Stolarz made 25 saves on 30 shots in a 6-3 loss to Vegas. Coach Berube noted that only the third goal was one Stolarz "would probably want back," suggesting rust rather than structural issues held him back.
Stolarz confirmed the injury was a nerve issue, which explains several key aspects of his recovery:
Why Nerve Injuries Take Longer: Peripheral nerves heal slowly, regenerating at approximately 1-2 millimeters per day. Nerve injuries can involve:
The "Not Progressing" Update: In mid-December, Berube stated Stolarz was not making expected progress, which is common with nerve injuries where symptoms can plateau before improving.
Why He Couldn't Skate: Nerve injuries affecting the cervical region can cause:
The Specialist Consultation: Stolarz saw a specialist for a second opinion, standard practice for complex nerve injuries to confirm diagnosis and optimize treatment approach.
After his first game back, Stolarz revealed insights about his recovery and return:
On the conditioning challenge: "It's just about getting my conditioning back where it is. I feel really good. The training staff has done a great job of taking care of me and the strength and conditioning coaches have done a great job of creating a plan to strengthen it and get everything back up. You lose some muscle so you have to get some of that back, but there's no cardio like playing hockey in a full 60-minute game, especially as a goalie."
On game speed: "Probably just the tempo and the speed. You can obviously do your best to replicate those in practice, but once you get out there in a game at the NHL level, the tempo of the play is a lot quicker. And tonight, especially early on, I was a little behind."
On when he knew he'd return: "I think we kind of had a plan, you know, around this time. And a few days ago I started to feel really good and obviously having the opportunity to go down with the Marlies and get those full practices kind of a little longer than our practices are."
With 32 games remaining in the regular season, Stolarz's return is crucial for Toronto's playoff push. The team currently sits three points out of the final wild card spot and needs him healthy for the stretch run.
The Goaltending Situation: Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby held down the fort admirably during Stolarz's absence:
With Stolarz back, Dennis Hildeby has been sent back to the AHL Toronto Marlies, giving the Leafs their expected tandem of Stolarz and Woll for the playoff push.
For athletes experiencing similar nerve-related neck injuries:
Grade I Nerve Injuries (Neurapraxia): 2-8 weeks
Grade II Nerve Injuries (Axonotmesis): 8-16 weeks or longer
Grade III Nerve Injuries (Neurotmesis): 4-6 months or may require surgery
Cervical traction deserves special attention as one of the most effective treatments for many types of neck injuries that NHL
