NHL insider Darren Dreger provided some clarity to Leafs fans when it came to Anthony Stolarz's expected return date, as the netminder's been dealing with injuries. The Toronto Maple Leafs have not seen Anthony Stolarz in game action <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/toronto-maple-leafs-goaltender-anthony-stolarz-leaves-game-against-the-anaheim-ducks-due-to-injury' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>since he left with an injury on December 12 against the Anaheim Ducks</a>. The veteran netminder was dealing, going 9-5-2 with a 2.15 goals-against average and an outstanding .927 save percentage in 17 appearances. His dependability between the pipes was a big part of what made the Leafs go strong before his untimely setback. A mid-December knee surgery, to take out what general manager Brad Treliving labeled a little pebble, shut down Stolarz, who could be out for a possible four-to-six weeks. But now, the real movement is in. Coach Craig Berube said on Saturday that Stolarz might skate this week, a huge first step in the road back to health. Stolarz will be on his own for a bit. But I expect that soon, like maybe this week, Berube said on Saturday. «I hope that he can get on the ice and do some things. With us [in practice], I don't know yet with that one.» <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/HockeyPatrol/status/1878912645316673654'> </a></blockquote></div> <h3>Darren Dreger talks early February as realistic timeline</h3> <a href='https://x.com/DarrenDreger' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>NHL insider Darren Dreger</a> added on FirstUp 1050 that even if Stolarz needs more than expected in recovery, <a href='https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-anthony-stolarz-injury-update-insider-provides-latest-maple-leafs-goalie-s-return-timeline' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>early February is still a realistic timeline</a> if the early target was late January. «This one is a little bit unique because he had a procedure on his knee. The first step is always getting back on the ice,» said Dreger. «Just testing the leg and seeing how it feels and kind of slowly working your way back. As soon as he can get into practice rotation, then that tells you he is real close to making a return.» <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/FirstUp1050/status/1878789958271709615'> </a></blockquote></div> It's a situation that keeps the Leafs hopeful as they trudge through much of the season with half of the goaltending tandem out of commission. «The message that I was given, and don't etch this in stone by any stretch of the imagination, this was my prep for last week's game, was that everyone was hopeful that he'd be playing in a game at some point late January. But they wouldn't be overly concerned if it wasn't until early February. So that sounds like a bump of good news by (Craig) Berube,» Dreger explained. «Again, let's measure when Stolarz gets back onto the ice, what's he doing? Is he just simply skating? When he gets back into the rotation of practicing, again, without looking at the schedule, normally it's a couple of good heavy practices before you come back into the mix. When that happens, he wouldn't be that far away,» he added. While it's still unclear when exactly he may return to action, the likelihood of <a href='https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/player/anthony-stolarz-8476932' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Stolarz</a> getting on the ice to work out soon is a good sign for the Toronto organization. The closer he gets to returning, the more his presence will be looked forward to once he returns to the crease.