Maple Leafs Would '100 Percent' Play Anthony Stolarz In A Game Before 4 Nations Break If Goaltender Deems Himself Ready

Anthony Stolarz's return to the Toronto Maple Leafs' crease isn't imminent, though he could return before the 4 Nations Faceoff tournament begins mid-February.

The 31-year-old participated in a full practice with the team on Tuesday for the first time since Dec. 12, almost two months ago. He hasn't played since the day when he suffered a knee injury during the first period against the Anaheim Ducks.

Stolarz had surgery to remove a "loose body" from his knee on Dec. 18, six days after he first suffered the injury. The goaltender admitted on Tuesday that he and the team knew about the loose body before he went down with the injury.

"I think it's just something that's been there for a while," Stolarz said. "We've known about it. And it just kind of moved into a bad spot. So, at the end of the day, it's something that I can't control and it is what it is."

Stolarz was, and still is, leading the NHL in save percentage (.927) since going down with the knee injury. He was Toronto's best goaltender at the beginning of the year, winning nine of the 17 games he appeared in to start the season.

"It was just one of those things," he said of his emotions after going down with the injury.

"You get the results [of the injury], it was kind of best-case scenario. For me, it was, go through the rehab process, get back on the ice, and just start returning as quick as I can."

Related: Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Explains Why Anthony Stolarz Will Miss Roughly 4-6 Weeks For A Procedure On His Knee

Stolarz tried to make the most of his time away from the team and out of game action. He said he's been watching some football and basketball, adding he even attended a couple of Toronto Raptors games while his teammates were on the road.

"But when we were home," he said, "I was usually at the rink and watching games down here in the medical room. I've just kind of been doing that, but it gets old after a while and it's exciting to get back here."

Joseph Woll has gotten a majority of Toronto's games with Stolarz out. Since the injury to the Edison, New Jersey-born player, Woll has won nine of 15 games for the Maple Leafs.

"He's made a number of timely saves, acrobatic saves at the right time to keep us in a game or hold onto the lead," Stolarz said of Woll.

"Just the way he's been able to go in night in and night out and just be able to put up solid numbers and keep the team in the game at the end of the day. It doesn't matter if you win 1-0 or 4-3, as a goalie it's your job to get the two points so I think he's done a fantastic job."

Related: 'Stick To Playing A Piano': Maple Leafs React To Joseph Woll And Mitch Marner's On-Stage Performance With Kygo

He didn't forget about Matt Murray and Dennis Hildeby, who've played six games between each other since Stolarz went down.

"It's not an easy spot. Just the way that they've been able to come up and we've been able to rotate and keep this play going and we're still in first place in the Atlantic, so anytime you're in first place, it's usually a good thing."

Stolarz has been on the ice for a couple of weeks, working his way back to the lineup. Tuesday's practice was another step in the right direction with Toronto only having one more home game before the break.

"It was good," Stolarz said after his first full practice with the team in over a month. "Nice to be able to get back out there with the guys and just go through the process and getting back up to speed."

The Maple Leafs have five games left before the 4 Nations tournament, which begins on Feb. 12. Stolarz may play before the break, however, he still doesn't have a timeline for his return to the lineup.

"Just taking it day-by-day right now," he said. "Just kind of seeing how it feels. But so far, everything's progressed well and right now, it's just getting back into game shape."

Ideally, the Maple Leafs would like to get the goaltender back into a game before their two-week-long break. But ultimately, it's all about how Stolarz feels. As Toronto head coach Craig Berube has mentioned several times this season, a player will be in the lineup if he's ready to play,

"I mean if that's possible, and he's available and he's ready to go, yeah 100 percent," Berube said, on if the team would like Stolarz in the net before the break.

The goaltender continues preparing for game action, but the conditioning process isn't similar to that of a forward or defenceman. Stolarz says continuing to work through full practices with the team will help the goaltender be ready for when he's called upon again.

"I think just getting some good practice reps in. Just being able to go through a full practice, get your wind back, get your timing back. It's a little different for a goalie," he said. "Forward, you can skate up and down the ice and feel it out. But a goalie, it's kind of more timing, screens, traffic. Just being able to read plays.

"So, just trying to make the most of every rep I get in there. Curtis (Sanford) and I have been working before practice, after practice on little things just to be able to try to get back up to speed here."

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.