Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joesph Woll was placed on the injured reserve (IR) before the team’s season opener against the Montreal Canadiens, and Dennis Hildeby was called upon to make the trip. With concerns about Woll’s injury and his reliability throughout his career, the Maple Leafs will need another goaltender besides backup Anthony Stolarz for insurance in net as the season progresses.
Hildeby will share the net with Stolarz until Woll is healthy enough to return. Suppose he performs well and Woll can’t stay healthy or live up to performance expectations. In that case, could he remain with the big club for an extended stay? If so, that would impact the Marlies’ season.
Woll’s Absence Offers Opportunity For Hildeby
When reports emerged that Hildeby was travelling with the team to Montreal, no details were immediately made available about the reason for this move. Woll was the projected starter for Wednesday’s game, but he was ruled out due to ‘lower-body tightness’ by Maple Leaf’s head coach Craig Berube. One of the most significant question marks entering the season was the durability of the team’s goaltending tandem. Woll and Stolarz are both unproven starters and have battled injuries throughout their careers.
Hildeby performed exceptionally well for the Maple Leafs in his debut against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday – the second of a back-to-back after a 1-0 loss to the Canadiens in their opener. It wasn’t a flawless start, but he made several quality saves and sealed the win in the third period as the Maple Leafs held off a fast and resilient Devils team.
The 23-year-old goalie made an impressive pad save on Dawson Mercer in the first period and then waited for the action to unfold as the Maple Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead. Hildeby also made a fantastic save against Jack Hughes later in the period, showing he was more than ready for the spotlight. He finished the game with 23 saves.
Woll is expected to miss three games, which means he could return against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, October 16. However, if Stolarz continues to perform as he did against the Canadiens, and Hildeby gets another opportunity and performs as well as he did, the situation could change.
Hildeby Shows His Growth And Development Within The Franchise
Drafted in the fourth round (122 overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Hildeby continues to improve and show his growth as a critical piece in the Maple Leafs organization. He played in many Swedish leagues, including the J20 SuperElit, J20 Nationell and HockeyEttan. He finished his last season on loan to Farjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and earned an 11-9-0 record with a .918 save percentage (SV%).
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He then moved to North America and played three games for the Marlies, two regular-season games and one in the playoffs, all forgettable. However, in his first full season in 2023-24, he played 41 games and finished with a 21-11-7 record, a .913 SV%, a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA) and four shutouts. His 21 wins last season were a record for a Marlies rookie goalie, and he earned a 2024 AHL All-Star Game selection.
At 6-foot-7 and 223 pounds, he covers the net well, and this season, he has improved his ability to use his size to cover high angles more effectively. He is difficult to beat down low, and as long as he keeps the blade of his stick down, he is very good at blocking shots from the bottom. However, he needs help tracking pucks down low through traffic, but the right goalie coach can help him with this.
How Hildeby Being Called Up Could Affect The Marlies
If Woll isn’t ready after the three games and needs more time to recover, the Marlies have Hildeby and Matt Murray as their goalie tandem, and either one could be called up by the big club to fill in. In the meanwhile, included on the Marlies’ 29-player season-opening roster are Artur Akhtyamov and Peksa Vyacheslav, two intriguing goalie prospects who need time to develop.
Murray, who has extensive professional experience but underwent major double hip surgery this offseason, will become the Marlies’ starter if Hildeby stays with the Maple Leafs. Still, there are questions about his health and ability, but Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav have yet to make their professional debuts. If Murray can’t find his game, the Marlies will have to put their trust in two rookies who are exciting prospects but have never played a game in North America.
If Woll recovers quickly, Hildeby will be returned to the Marlies, where he can properly develop his game, and Murray will not be forced into a starting role coming off major surgery, and while he works his way to being a call-up if needed or if he performs well. However, this also depends on Woll’s quick recovery. The Marlies are scheduled to open their season against the San Diego Gulls on Saturday, and Murray is expected to start.
Hildeby is the Maple Leaf’s top goaltending prospect, and at 23, his time to prove himself is now. He is entering the final season of his contract before becoming a restricted free agent this summer. He will take every opportunity with the Maple Leafs to demonstrate why he deserves to be a regular on the team next season, especially if Woll can’t stay healthy.
