Leafs goalie prospect building a strong case for a call-up with his outstanding numbers
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without Joseph Woll for the next month, at minimum, as he recovers from an ankle sprain suffered Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators. For now, the Leafs will turn to Martin Jones and Ilya Samsonov to hold down the fort until Woll is able to return. Samsonov, who had struggled to begin the season, made his first start on Saturday since November 24th and back-stopped the Leafs to a 4-0 win over the Nashville Predators.
It could not have been a better way for Samsonov to start what will be a lengthy stretch of games for him as the Leafs' number one. Should Samsonov and Jones struggle, however, the Leafs may turn to a surprising name with the hope that he would be able to continue his excellent play with the big club.
A fourth-round pick of the Leafs in the 2022 draft, Dennis Hildeby is in his first pro season in North America and is off to a fantastic start. The 6'7 goaltender has played in 10 games for the Marlies and has gone 5-3-2 but posted a ridiculous 1.80 GAA, and a sparkling .927 save percentage in those 10 starts.
Hildeby is developing very well with the Marlies and he could be in line for a call-up with the Leafs over the next month if Jones and Samsonov begin to struggle or another injury strikes. However, the Leafs will have to determine if it would be beneficial to the 22-year-old or if it would hinder his development. One or two games likely wouldn't hurt, as it would give him an opportunity to learn more about what he needs to improve on to be a full-time NHLer, but should the Leafs feel that Samsonov and Jones aren't giving them the best chance to win, Hildeby could receive a look - even if only a brief one.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 11 | 782 ANSWERS Leafs goalie prospect building a strong case for a call-up with his outstanding numbers Should the Leafs give Hildeby a chance if Samsonov and Jones struggle? | ||
| Yes, it wouldn't hurt his development | 620 | 79.3 % |
| No, it would be too rushed for him | 162 | 20.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
