Leafs goaltending prospect set on doing whatever it takes to play in the NHL
After a very solid rookie campaign in the AHL in 2022-23, goaltender Dennis Hildeby is looking to make his mark and plot his way to the NHL as soon as possible.
The Toronto Maple Leafs addressed their goaltending situation - once again - this summer by signing former Florida Panthers' backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a 2-year deal. It is widely expected that he is going to form a tandem with Joseph Woll this year but there are plenty of concerns in Leaf-land in regards to the fact that they have combined for only 117 NHL starts.
While Matt Murray is returning as the proverbial "number three" option in goal, there is always room for improvement in that department but the Maple Leafs might have the solution in-house with Hildeby. Not only are Woll and Stolarz inexperienced in terms of career games but Woll and Murray have had a track record of injuries. Hildeby, who had a strong rookie season with the Toronto Marlies last year, can potentially swoop in as a replacement if need be.
The 22-year-old from Jarfalla, Sweden posted a 21-11-7 record with a .913 SV% and a 2.41 G.A.A. with 4 shutouts last year before going 1-2 in the post-season with a .896 SV% and a 3.35 G.A.A. The former 4th round pick from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft is confident and ready for what's to come in 2024-25, whether that's in the AHL or NHL.
In a virtual sit-down interview with TSN's Mark Masters, Hildeby tackled a bunch of question ranging from his experiences last year to his expectations for this coming season, including if he is ready for NHL action:
"It's very hard for me to answer," he said. "It's not really something I think about a whole lot. I'm just trying to [run] my own race. Obviously, the main goal is going to be to get called up and eventually get a start. That's always what you strive for, but the answer is you don't really know until you try it out. So, we'll see about that. I'll try to do my absolute best and show them I'm ready mentally at least."
Hildeby went from playing in 21 games for Farjestads BK Karlstad and 2 appearances in the AHL in 2022-23 to a far heavier workload in 2023-24 that could've featured even more games had he not been called up to the NHL in January. He credited his relationship with mental skills coach, Andy Sward, as a key reason as to why and how he emerged as the Marlies workhorse:
"The more games you play the more responsibility you have for the team's success," Hildeby noted. "So that's a bigger burden put on me than I'm used to. When I wasn't playing that well it was a bigger challenge than the year before when I was mainly the backup. Taking on more responsibility and learning to deal with that was a great challenge, but it was a lot of fun too."
While he didn't get into any game action for the Maple Leafs during his brief cameo with the club after Ilya Samsonov was demoted, he did notice a massive difference once he reached the big leagues:
"I learned what a normal week of games looks like and everything outside of it," he said. "What to expect from practices and off-ice training and all that. What gets me nervous is when I don't know what to expect. Coming into last year, I had no clue how training camp looked or what the American Hockey League was like, so that was kind of something I thought about a lot and something I was a little anxious about. So just having seen all that and knowing what to expect is a huge relief for whenever a potential next call-up might come."
Going even a step further, the Maple Leafs have given him a ton of positive feedback and it looks like the path is being paved as evidenced by Brad Treliving's comments on the 1st of July as well:
"We wanted to have depth at the position," general manager Brad Treliving explained in a Zoom call with reporters on July 1. "And we certainly don't forget about Dennis Hildeby as a young, developing goaltender."
"They were happy with the year," he said. "They told me to keep on the same path. They've showed they have belief in me and that's everything I can dream of, really."
The Maple Leafs have a good crop of goaltending prospects waiting in the wings for their opportunity to strike and it doesn't end with Hildeby. They also have Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa making their way through the ranks, however for the time being, Hildeby is the next man up should anything happen to their NHL goaltenders and it seems like he's ready for the challenge, should it arise this year.
The 6'7 netminder has shown over the years that he can perform at any level and if given the opportunity this year, he very well could surprise many within the fanbase, the organization, and perhaps more importantly, the decision makers in the front office.
Source for Dennis Hildeby's quotes and interview:
Top prospect Hildeby plots path to Leafs crease
Source for Dennis Hildeby's statistics:
Dennis Hildeby
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 20 | 454 ANSWERS Leafs goaltending prospect set on doing whatever it takes to play in the NHL What do you think Dennis Hildeby's NHL ETA is? | ||
| 2024-25 | 92 | 20.3 % |
| 2025-26 | 280 | 61.7 % |
| 2026-27 | 82 | 18.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
